A Music Comparison – JYJ vs. Tohoshinki

JYJ – IN HEAVEN

Release date: September 27, 2011
Label: CJES Entertainment

Tracklist

  1. Get Out
  2. In Heaven
  3. Fallen Leaves
  4. The Boy’s Letter
  5. Mission
  6. I.D.S (I Deal Scenario)
  7. Pierrot
  8. You’Re
  9. Nine
  10. The Song With No Name Part 1

Finally a JYJ album that is good. When they released The Beginning, I kind of cringed. First with the song Ayyy Girl and that horrendous music video [1]. I had a real hard time trying to listen to the guys in English. So, for the most part, I didn’t. With this album, I am back in love with JYJ.

Much of it is thanks to their beautiful voices. There’s something about them singing in Korean that is just so right. Add the fact that all of the songs from the album were either written, composed or arranged by the guys themselves, it makes the album more personal and heartfelt.

What makes this album good is the mix of musical styles. The album consists of ballads, mid-tempo tracks and dance tracks — something that JYJ brings from their time being in DBSK. I would like to say that they took the best from the past to pave the way for the future. There’s no denying that this album is very much JYJ, but there’s a touch of that old DBSK sound. They have taken what they learned and adapted it to fit them as individuals. So far, one of the best Korean albums released in 2011.

I need to add one last opinion here. The song In Heaven, what a pearl of a song. One of the better power ballads that JYJ has done. It reminds me of Love In The Ice and Proud. That song gives me hope for the future of JYJ, but also reminds me what made me fall in love with them in the first place.

Best tracks: All of them

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Julyssa

Music is all I do: I work in music, I write about music, I listen to music.

11 Responses

  1. Tina/Mis says:

    Wow. This is a really thought-through article about stuff I hadn’t really thought about.
    But to be honest, I don’t find it that strange that JYJ are sticking to a similar sound. I’m not a Cassie but as I see it, it wasn’t for musical reasons that JYJ broke out and though of course everybody have different preferences, I have never seen taste differences as one of the bigger cracks in DBSK. Which it has definitely been in, say, Big Bang. Or am I wrong?

    • Julyssa says:

      @Tina/Mis, Some are claiming that is was the music that was one reason JYJ broke away from SM, as in they wanted freedom to create the music *they* wanted.
      I think that Jae, Junsu and Yoochun do have similar tastes. Yunho prefers more dance/rap tracks and Changmin does it all. But then again, DBSK were under several years only allowed to do the music their label gave them. Big Bang has had freedom to do as they wish from early on and that develops different tastes i guess.

    • Julyssa says:

      @Tina/Mis,
      *groans* here I wrote this great response but WP trolled me and it disappeared. Let me see if I remember it all.

      Many argue that one of the reasons JYJ left was because they wanted more creative freedom.
      When it comes to taste, well, DBSK as a whole weren’t allowed to do their own music for several years. Yes, they all have different tastes but it’s not like they could do many solo projects.
      Big Bang has been given creative freedom since an early stage in their careers. So I think that is what made them all kind of drift in to very different musical styles. Also, and this is another topic: but I think that the group dynamics in Big Bang are worlds apart from the one DBSk had. So that can add to the cracks.

  2. Camiele says:

    Well, I suppose there’s no point in stirring up the flames of DBSK fans (past and present). I’ll just comment on the article itself.

    This is rather diplomatic of you. Instead of blatantly stating a favourte, you more or less say both albums are great, but one just squeezes by being a teensy bit better… HaHa. But I don’t blame you for that. I mean, I’d say fuck it and just go for what I know, but, of course, I’ve only been a Cassie for five months… so, there’s that…

    As far as JYJ finally releasing a good album, in all fairness, prior to In Heaven, they only had a music essay (which is basically a mini-album with a book attached) and The Beginning… And really The Beginning… itself wasn’t all that bad. Ayy Gurl just shouldn’t have happened and it most CERTAINLY shouldn’t have been the lead track. That glorious English language debut should’ve gone to either Be My Girl or Empty.

    As far as HoMin’s concerned, I really need to check out TONE to know what you’re even talking about. I can’t be mad at them for not sounding like DBSK… because, I mean, there’s just two of them. They’re never gonna sound the same (as JYJ don’t sound anything like DBSK to me), so we have to do go with the dynamic we have. Plus, Yunho’s never gonna be the singer, but the imbalance of vocalists means his voice becomes stronger… gotta love that.

    So, all in all, this was a very “not tryna start no mess” 200th post. But it was definitely a good look at both albums. I’ll have to REALLY do better with my life and check out TONE… so slack, so slack :shakes head at her own shame:

    • Julyssa says:

      @Camiele, It’s not so much “not trying to start no mess”, I am keeping it short because I could go on this issue for the longest time. If I wanted to do a more “clinical” comparison, then this would turn out to be a thesis essay. No joke.

      Both albums are good, they just are good in different ways. TONE is more pop-y, In Heaven is more influenced by RnB. TONE makes me silly happy, while In Heaven makes me *ahem*, makes me feel a certain way.

      • Camiele says:

        @Julyssa, Well, “start no mess” more in the tone (seriously, no pun intended) of the feature. You could’ve made a blatant statement about which is your favourite, damn the consequences. but you chose a very diplomatic approach, not choosing, but instead sort of saying one is only slightly better than the other.

        I wouldn’t say In Heaven is more influenced by R&B, but is more influenced by heavy emotion. It’s more a showcase of their writing and vocals, thus the balladry is just ridiculous on that album. But, I can’t say anything about TONE’s influence… haven’t listened to it… STILL (fml… just, really). I WILL get to it, I promise… but you know me and voices. I know what to expect vocally and that may be the reason why I’m hesitant. If I actually listened to it, though, we may be able to have a better conversation about it (via a counter-review of my own… hmmm… let me think about that one…)

        • Julyssa says:

          @Camiele, Yes, raw emotion, that was the word I was looking for.

          I was diplomatic, because, quite honestly I do like both albums almost as much. It’s just that both albums make me feel different sort of happiness. Plus, they are good in different aspects. How can I judge wich is better then the other? It’s all a matter of taste.

          At the moment, I am adoring TONE more then In Heaven. But last year I was all about in Heaven and couldn’t even listen to TONE. So I can’t chose! :P

  3. Camiele says:

    @ Julyssa, I think it’s all a matter of what kind of sound you’re really into. But you’re more of the “flip-flop” type when it comes to that… HaHa. :P

    As for me, I’ve got a soft spot for vocal ability and emotion. The emotion I don’t doubt whatsoever with HoMin. You can’t have gone through what any of them have gone through and not have emotion. But as far as that translating to the vocal mapping of the album… that’s a completely different thing all together.

    That does it… this definitely calls for a coutner-review! I’m gonna listen to TONE this week-end! I’ve already listened to In Heaven — obviously. Gotta say, it’s already not looking good for HoMin… HaHa. BUT! I do happen to genuinely like both Yunho-ssi and Changmin… maybe not necessarily vocally, but I really wanna check the dynamic of their voices. I heard “Before U Go” (the sexy R&B version. I still can’t find my panties after hearing that one… that was a good pair, too. DAMN YOU HOMIN!!!) and kinda fell all manner of in love with it. And they worked that R&B sound pretty damn good together. We’ll just have to see.

    What d’you think…? Counter-review for both of these albums? Is it a possiblity, oh mighty Kpop princess?

  4. Kar says:

    Hmm, I can’t really make a good comment as I haven’t heard every song from both albums, but I think I’m liking TONE better. >.< I think of tvxq2 as a hollow DBSK, but still DBSK, you know? (no pun intended lol) but JYJ just looks foreign. Sometimes I just can't stand to hear "Empty", "Get Out", "Found You", and especially "Ayyy Girl". "In Heaven" is bearable; it just makes me really sad…I label them JYJ and DBSK (old and new) on my iPod but keep them all in a general DBSK folder.

    I feel JYJ is relying a bit too much on vocals, that dare I say it, their songs are much too flat, almost boring. There's a dull serene quality. On the other hand, Tvxq sounds very pop, catchy, but the voices just sound raw, different from their studio versio by a LARGE version. People say that Changmin and Yunho improved vocally since well, they have to, but I don't really see it. They ALL (yes, JYJ too) sang better together. I don't mean harmony, they actually sondes smoother, right on key, perfect high notes etc.

    That is all :) <3 :(

    • Julyssa Diaz says:

      @Kar,

      Hi Kar! Thank you for your comment and input. I think that the points you bring up are very true. JYJ and HoMin have really embarked in two very different styles. JYJ is relying a whole lot in their vocals and why shouldn’t they? It’s their best asset.
      HoMin is doing the flashy pop seeing as they need to take a little bit of strain from the lack of vocals — but I do think they show some form of improvement in their ballads. Shiawase no Iro Hana is a great example of that.

      I am guessing you are a fellow Cassies right? I do agree that DBSK as five sound so much better together. Could be part that we are used to hearing them in that way, part that we love to hear them that way or the fact that there was something about them five that clicked so perfectly.

  5. clau says:

    mmm for me HoMin sounds better..
    it’s more mature,Changmin voice is perfect and Yunho voice is fine..
    i’m not a fan i just heard “keep your head down” and they are really good even their dance is way better!
    yes,i heard jyj and it didn’t attract me that much..well i didn’t download it
    well is a thing of taste..i guess!

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