Album review: Brown Eyed Girls - Sound G

I'm not sure what G sounds for in this albums title. But it should stand for 'Generic'. Which is the watch word for Brown Eyed Girls third studio album. I was hypnotised by Ga-in's hips in the "Abracadabra" video into checking this album out. And after listening, I wonder why I bothered. Because nothing on this album gets much better than "Abracadabra".

All of the songs on Sound G sound like they're either trying too hard or sound outdated. You should not go into this album expecting the songs to sound as on trend and as tight as "Abracadabra", or you'll be seriously disappointed. "Glam girl" sounds like a bastardised hybrid of Nancy Sinatra and a Pussycat dolls song. "Poison" sounds like an R&B wanna-be song produced in the 90's, and not a good one. The song sounds way too dated. Even Miryo's hot raps can't salvage the wreckage. "Strange work" sounds like a song from a Super Mario game. I swear I heard a song like it in Super Mario Sunshine or Mario Paint. I thought the song was a joke when I first heard it, and that it'd switch into some dirty synths, finger snaps and auto-tune. But nope. Super Mario style beats for 3 and half minutes with a distinct lack of vocal energy. The Brown Eyed Girls first single from the album "Candy man" sounds like it's trying too hard with it's vibe. Stomping kicks, basslines and synths are worked into this song to get you swaying, but it fails like a dumb-ass on a exam. As with "Posion" Miryo's raps are hot, but aren't enough to elevate this song from being 'Meh'.

As seems to be obligatory for every Korean CD, the album features a couple of ballads, which sound incredibly out of place. "Cannot go" and "I'll do well" aren't bad songs. They're in fact rather nice and showcase the girls' vocals really well, especially J.A's; and shows they can actually get through a song on the album without having to resort to auto-tune and pitch correction. But the songs do feel tacked on and out of place. There's nothing wrong with having an album full of uptempo pop songs if the album is calling for it, and I wish Korean artists and A&R's would take note of this. Not every album has to have a ballad or two chucked in.

"Abracadabra" is the album's best song, hands down, without a doubt, straight up. The song is like swine flu: infectious and deadly. "Moody night" is hotness, dowsed in the same sultry, sexy and vamped up gloss that makes "Abracadabra" hot - only with a slower tempo. It's a shame this style wasn't worked throughout the whole album, as electro-pop with a bit of a dark streak suits Brown Eyed Girls to an absolute T. Miryo can rap on anything and make it work, and J.A has that voice that can be sprinkled onto a hook or in a verse and just fit. But it's Narsha and Ga-in who benefit from the electro-pop songs the most, as it highlights their bad-arsery - where as the other more R&B and generic sounding songs don't. The girls really should've gone for an album in the same vein as Britney's Blackout. No holds barred electro synth pop. It would've worked wonders for them and their new image.

Sound G is not that good an album. I'm being kind to it, because I like Brown Eyed Girls, and "Abracadabra" has me so sprung. "Abracadabra" is definitely the best song on this album. And it even features the instrumental with added backing vocals so you can karaoke to it and hip swang until your thighs ache. Unless you stan hard for these girls, I'd say just cop the single and leave this album alone.

RATING: 3 / 10

Album highlights:
■ Abracadabra ★ J's fave
■ Moody night
■ I'll do well