YB – Blue Whale


Release Date: November 25, 2011
Label: Universal Music Korea

 Tracklist:

1. 사랑은 교통사고 (Love Is A Traffic Accident)
2. 흰수염고래 (Blue Whale) [MV]
3. 꿈을 뺏고 있는 범인을 찾아라 (Find a Guy With A Wasted Dream)
4. 나는 나비 (Flying Butterfly) (2011 Version)
5. It Burns (2011 Version)

Following their successful appearances on Survival: I Am A Singer, YB released a new mini album back in November, rounding out one highly active year for the band.  One of the things that makes YB great is their musical versatility, and it’s never been quite as obvious as it is on Blue Whale.

For this EP, YB pulled out all the stoppers on their creativity bottles for sure. Love Is a Traffic Accident shows of the energetic rock side of YB while the title track Blue Whale is a simple, yet powerful ballad. Blue Whale is arranged to resemble the natural sounds of a blue whale, and manages to exude that essence without sounding like a hokey new-age reject song. Find a Guy With a Wasted Dream is the bands first journey (on album) into the more traditional side of Korean music, as it is a very unique blend of trot and rock. The song opens with a crash and the crackle of vinyl, slowly leading into a traditional folk song then expanding into a trot/rock fusion. It’s an amazing and innovative song that I can’t help but love.

Rounding out the EP are re-imagined versions of their classic songs Flying Butterfly and It Burns. To me, a great band is one that realizes they can always change and improve their sound. In updating older songs, YB keep up with the current music trends and present their fans with their best efforts. It should also be noted, that this is the first album since the addition of their newest member Scott Hellowell, who joined the band officially in 2011.

Great songs and variety are key to a successful EP, and YB sure delivered with Blue Whale. If you’re looking for a little taste of Korean rock, this is a great place to start nibbling.

Best Tracks: Find a Guy With Wasted Dreams, Blue Whale

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Preview it on Xiami  | Buy it on YesAsia

Jenna

Part-time student, full-time media whore, fan of all things Asian.

1 Response

  1. December 12, 2014

    […] YB […]

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.