As promised, here is Superband Recap 1!!! 👏👏👏👏 My new obsession with the band Lucy has lead me to the show Superband. Sadly, even though this show aired around a year ago, finding English subtitles for this show was extremely difficult. I had to go to twitter where 0412subs and jungjaesammy were kind enough to translate episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 and are working on the rest. It's such a shame that this show had not been translated prior since it has been a hot minute since the show initially aired, but I am so thankful for 0412subs and jungjaesammy for translating this show and making it more accessible to an international audience and allowing these musicians to get more publicity.
Now about the show itself. I, of course, was super pumped to get started on watching the show because of Lucy and their amazing debut song Flowering, where you can find more of my opinions on here. I am also really interested in learning about different indie artists since I have been finding myself getting into more indie music the past year. I also love the idea of giving these talented and underrated artists a platform to grow and become more successful. It also allows the artists to work with each other, rather it be in a similar style to their own or one that is completely different, as well as receive instruction from the judges that have experience in the industry. I also was really psyched that they included a variety of different musical genres and instruments which gives light to a lot of artists that would typically be overlooked. Overall, I really like the concept of the show and all of the benefits it can have for the artists participating and I hope that they make another season.
I love that the judges really fit the show. They all are extremely competent and have extensive experience producing their own songs as well as performing them. Also, how fucking cool is it that Linkin Park's Joe Hahn is a judge. Like wtf, I love Linkin Park!! I grew up with Linkin Park!! When the contestants were lowkey freaking out about him being there, I could really relate because that would totally be me.
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Auditions
Group 1
Ha Hyunsang
I am so impressed that he recorded an OST. After listening to him sing, I can definitely see why. His voice is so nice and clean and he really is able to convey emotion in his singing. I loved his original composition as well. He definitely is an amazing ballad artist and I can't wait to see what he does throughout the show and outside of it.
Lee Kangho
I was hella impressed with Kangho's achievements of winning acoustic guitar competitions. As expected of contest winners, his guitar performance was fucking epic. He was able to play so many parts that I would not normally expect from a guitar which fucking cool as hell. And the fact that he composed the song himself, like damn the talent.
Kim Youngso
Like, his friend (I love their friendship and kind of hope that they are in a band together but kind of don't because they are both so talented and deserve to shine by themselves and having that much guitar talent in one band is too OP), Youngso played a self-composed song. As expected, the guitar playing was top notch. And then I find out that this bitch wrote the song at like 14, like wtf. The talent on this show is astronomical.
I'll
Like, Hyunsang, I feel like I'll is really able to convey emotion so well through his singing. The only issue I had with his singing was his excessive vibrato (while he was singing I wasn't sure if it was nervousness or if it was intentional, and we found out from the judges' panel it was intentional). This is just a preference, I still think he is great singer, I just would have preferred less vibrato and more straight notes. Also, finding out that he majored in jazz piano has got me hella curious because I love me some jazz piano.
Jungsol
I gotta say all of Jungsol's instruments are cool as hell, especially that hang drum. Also, not gonna lie, I could never imagine a tambourine being as cool as Jungsol made it, so props to him. Overall, a pretty cool performance and I really appreciate the production staff for naming all of the instruments and giving basic information about it. Unrelated to his performance, Jungsol's smile is so cute <3
Jisang
I relate so much to Jisang. I am that awkward af introvert. At first I was not quite sold with his performance because the phrases were quite short and I was distracted with his pronunciations. However, by the chorus, I felt like he started to grow more comfortable and I really started to enjoy his singing and his performance.
Kim Chiheon
Pretty epic performance. I think the song and the arrangement of it was a really good idea for Chiheon, since it was truly able to accentuate his drumming techniques with the added solos and those pauses before the beat drops. So, yeah, pretty fucking cool.
Group 2
Lee Nau
As expected of a classically trained pianist, Nau is amazing at the piano. He was really able to transport the listener into a sort space odyssey. Then we found out that he has perfect pitch, like damn I wish. The test that they gave him for testing his ability to improvise and sing was confusing for me. Like was their intention to give him a song he knows or don't know. Either way, he did a good job performing The Eagles's Desperado.
Benji
Ok, so I remember Benji from BIG and I was really curious what he was going to do. I found it really cool that he decided to make an MR of the track and make the song made entirely of violin. I also found it interesting and kind of relieving that the first half of the performance was plucked instead of using a bow and that in this arrangement he decided to not play the basic melody and well known background parts because that would have been kind of boring. I was also really surprised that he volunteered to share his own song instead of having the judges asking him to perform more. Thank good he did because that song was a fucking bop, like it's right up my alley and I am looking that shit up on Spotify (btw it is there! Telephone by Benji, look it up!) I also really love his bright and energetic personality and it was great seeing him doing shit again.
Hong Jinho
This guy's resume is insane. When they listed all the shit he won in tiny font I was flabbergasted, like damn. I was entranced with his performance. It was just so amazing and beautiful, I can't really describe it but it really engaging and entertaining. I am really excited to see him work in a group.
The Rose
Of course, I know The Rose, I wrote about Woosung's solo album, Wolf, here and my friends keep telling me to check them out. I was really intrigued into why the band was performing on this show since the show is meant to create bands, but it was great to see them get more publicity since I feel like they are not as well known in Korea as they are overseas. Overall, I loved the performance. I remember listening to this song all the time when I was younger and I fucking love this song. Of course, Woosung's voice is magical and just blows me away every time I hear it. Everyone else did a great job and I really loved the mini drum solo in the middle. It was understated but it still was able to showcase Hajoon's abilities while fitting the song.
Lee Chansol
Damn, I love his voice. I don't know why I was surprised when I first heard it, but it is just really good. He has a really good and classic rock voice (not a classic rock voice but a classic, rock voice). You can also tell through his performance just how much he truly cares for this song and it was just beautiful.
Group 3
Hong Isaac
I really loved his performance. His voice was gorgeous and I absolutely love the song that he wrote. It was calming and beautiful and you bet your ass I'm finding it on Spotify (I did!!! Spring by Hong Isaac, check it out!!)
DPole
Yo, DPole's performance was pretty fucking epic. I found it really cool that he was mixing traditional Korean music and sounds with more modern beats and technology. I think it's pretty freaking cool and I am really interested in seeing him work in a band. Unrelated, but I love that pad he got from Jeju Island like it is gorgeous. I gotta say though, this guy is a genius. Like the Gameboy track was also pretty fucking cool and the coding and like technology shit behind this must be intense.
Lee Hyungbin
Like the other genius guitarists, Hyungbin was so fucking cool. Like his song was so good. The technique was insane but still sounds gorgeous.
Park Youngjin
His drumming was definitely very cool. He definitely fits that classic, rock style with both his appearance and his drumming style. It was just a little sad that he missed one cymbal but still overall the performance was pretty fucking cool
Ganeung Band
I really enjoyed their performance. I really liked the first song. I loved the vocals and the violin solo was epic. I wasn't as sold with Smooth Criminal because as much as I love that song it is used so much for violin covers. However, I did like it more in the second half of the song with the little drum break and the stellar use of dynamics and the violin departing from the melody.
Group 4
Kevin Oh
I think that Kevin is really great at conveying emotions through his music. I was really able to feel the nostalgia through this song, which was intended by Kevin. His voice was also great, of course. It had that classic, rock sound and really brought that emotion to the song.
Lee Jong Hoon
Yo, this performance fucking slapped. Like, damnnn. I can't wait to see him perform in a band. Like that band will have some groovy fucking beats. Like that bass playing was so groovy and epic.
Kang Kyeong Yoon
I never thought I'd say that I would listen to a national anthem in my free time, but I totally would listen to this. Like that was just fucking amazing. I really think that partnered with Lee Jong Hoon, some truly groovy shit.
Zairo
I really liked his original song. It was definitely more what is commonly thought of as rock compared to the other original songs that were performed thus far. At first I was a little confused and disappointed that he didn't sing and play the guitar at the same time during the song, but I got over it with how gorgeous his voice sounded and how epic his guitar solo was. Also, they were hyping up him bringing two guitars, but he only uses one. Like I wanted to see what he would do with the other guitar!
Mellow Kitchen
As a fellow saxist (a terrible one but still), I was really excited to see him perform. I also think it would be really cool to see what contributions his saxophone playing can make in a band. i was immediately impressed that Mellow Kitchen was a soprano saxophone rather than a tenor, which I feel is commonly used for saxophone solos. This is mainly because soprano saxophones require a significantly tighter embouchure and is more easily out of tune than the other types of saxophones. He also fucking killed it, like is saxophone playing was perfection. I can't even imagine reaching that level of skill.
Kim Jibeom
Unrelated to his performance, Jibeom's aesthetic is top notch. I fucking love it. Now, Jibeom's performance. I was a little disappointed that he chose Lean On Me because, like Smooth Criminal, I love this song but I have heard different people sing it so often. So, I wasn't really impressed with his singing until he started ad libbing, and then I started enjoying the performance more.
Gift
They described themselves as having a sort of dreamy sound, and I totally feel that. The song choice was perfect and allowed them to showcase their talents as well as really display their style. There was bass solo at the beginning and end of the song that was able to showcase Kim Hyungwoo's talents as a bassist. Additionally, Lee Joohyuk was able to show his guitar playing skills as well as extremely pretty and unique voice.
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Ok, so those are all of the auditions that were broadcasted. If you were paying attention, I bolded certain auditions. Those are the ones that I was the most impressed by and left a lasting impression on me. It just happens all the guitarist shown blew me away, like I am beyond impressed. I am so excited to see what all of these musicians do on the show. I can't really visualize the bands that will form but I do think that one combination that would be really cool would be Lee Jong Hoon, Kang Kyeong Yoon, Mellow Kitchen, and Kim Jibeom. If they were to form some sort of jazzy funk soul kind of band, that would be pretty epic. I am going to wait before starting to watch the next episode, Episode 3, because the first challenge spans from Episode 3-5, and Episode 5 english subtitles are not out yet. So, I am going to wait for that challenge to be fully out, so I can enjoy all of it at once.
Anyway, I just want to thank 0412subs and jungjaesammy again for putting in the time and effort to translating these episodes of Superband. I have been wanting to watch this show for around two months now, and I am sure others have waited even longer, and I so grateful that I am able to fully enjoy it now thanks to these people. I am really excited to see what happens next. I also highly suggest that you check out the show yourself. I personally have found so many new songs and artists to check out, and since there are so many different styles of music displayed in the show, there is something for everyone. So, please check it out and give these indie artists some love. So... Um... Yeah...
Now about the show itself. I, of course, was super pumped to get started on watching the show because of Lucy and their amazing debut song Flowering, where you can find more of my opinions on here. I am also really interested in learning about different indie artists since I have been finding myself getting into more indie music the past year. I also love the idea of giving these talented and underrated artists a platform to grow and become more successful. It also allows the artists to work with each other, rather it be in a similar style to their own or one that is completely different, as well as receive instruction from the judges that have experience in the industry. I also was really psyched that they included a variety of different musical genres and instruments which gives light to a lot of artists that would typically be overlooked. Overall, I really like the concept of the show and all of the benefits it can have for the artists participating and I hope that they make another season.
I love that the judges really fit the show. They all are extremely competent and have extensive experience producing their own songs as well as performing them. Also, how fucking cool is it that Linkin Park's Joe Hahn is a judge. Like wtf, I love Linkin Park!! I grew up with Linkin Park!! When the contestants were lowkey freaking out about him being there, I could really relate because that would totally be me.
-
Auditions
Group 1
Ha Hyunsang
I am so impressed that he recorded an OST. After listening to him sing, I can definitely see why. His voice is so nice and clean and he really is able to convey emotion in his singing. I loved his original composition as well. He definitely is an amazing ballad artist and I can't wait to see what he does throughout the show and outside of it.
Lee Kangho
I was hella impressed with Kangho's achievements of winning acoustic guitar competitions. As expected of contest winners, his guitar performance was fucking epic. He was able to play so many parts that I would not normally expect from a guitar which fucking cool as hell. And the fact that he composed the song himself, like damn the talent.
Kim Youngso
Like, his friend (I love their friendship and kind of hope that they are in a band together but kind of don't because they are both so talented and deserve to shine by themselves and having that much guitar talent in one band is too OP), Youngso played a self-composed song. As expected, the guitar playing was top notch. And then I find out that this bitch wrote the song at like 14, like wtf. The talent on this show is astronomical.
I'll
Like, Hyunsang, I feel like I'll is really able to convey emotion so well through his singing. The only issue I had with his singing was his excessive vibrato (while he was singing I wasn't sure if it was nervousness or if it was intentional, and we found out from the judges' panel it was intentional). This is just a preference, I still think he is great singer, I just would have preferred less vibrato and more straight notes. Also, finding out that he majored in jazz piano has got me hella curious because I love me some jazz piano.
Jungsol
I gotta say all of Jungsol's instruments are cool as hell, especially that hang drum. Also, not gonna lie, I could never imagine a tambourine being as cool as Jungsol made it, so props to him. Overall, a pretty cool performance and I really appreciate the production staff for naming all of the instruments and giving basic information about it. Unrelated to his performance, Jungsol's smile is so cute <3
Jisang
I relate so much to Jisang. I am that awkward af introvert. At first I was not quite sold with his performance because the phrases were quite short and I was distracted with his pronunciations. However, by the chorus, I felt like he started to grow more comfortable and I really started to enjoy his singing and his performance.
Kim Chiheon
Pretty epic performance. I think the song and the arrangement of it was a really good idea for Chiheon, since it was truly able to accentuate his drumming techniques with the added solos and those pauses before the beat drops. So, yeah, pretty fucking cool.
Group 2
Lee Nau
As expected of a classically trained pianist, Nau is amazing at the piano. He was really able to transport the listener into a sort space odyssey. Then we found out that he has perfect pitch, like damn I wish. The test that they gave him for testing his ability to improvise and sing was confusing for me. Like was their intention to give him a song he knows or don't know. Either way, he did a good job performing The Eagles's Desperado.
Benji
Ok, so I remember Benji from BIG and I was really curious what he was going to do. I found it really cool that he decided to make an MR of the track and make the song made entirely of violin. I also found it interesting and kind of relieving that the first half of the performance was plucked instead of using a bow and that in this arrangement he decided to not play the basic melody and well known background parts because that would have been kind of boring. I was also really surprised that he volunteered to share his own song instead of having the judges asking him to perform more. Thank good he did because that song was a fucking bop, like it's right up my alley and I am looking that shit up on Spotify (btw it is there! Telephone by Benji, look it up!) I also really love his bright and energetic personality and it was great seeing him doing shit again.
Hong Jinho
This guy's resume is insane. When they listed all the shit he won in tiny font I was flabbergasted, like damn. I was entranced with his performance. It was just so amazing and beautiful, I can't really describe it but it really engaging and entertaining. I am really excited to see him work in a group.
The Rose
Of course, I know The Rose, I wrote about Woosung's solo album, Wolf, here and my friends keep telling me to check them out. I was really intrigued into why the band was performing on this show since the show is meant to create bands, but it was great to see them get more publicity since I feel like they are not as well known in Korea as they are overseas. Overall, I loved the performance. I remember listening to this song all the time when I was younger and I fucking love this song. Of course, Woosung's voice is magical and just blows me away every time I hear it. Everyone else did a great job and I really loved the mini drum solo in the middle. It was understated but it still was able to showcase Hajoon's abilities while fitting the song.
Lee Chansol
Damn, I love his voice. I don't know why I was surprised when I first heard it, but it is just really good. He has a really good and classic rock voice (not a classic rock voice but a classic, rock voice). You can also tell through his performance just how much he truly cares for this song and it was just beautiful.
Group 3
Hong Isaac
I really loved his performance. His voice was gorgeous and I absolutely love the song that he wrote. It was calming and beautiful and you bet your ass I'm finding it on Spotify (I did!!! Spring by Hong Isaac, check it out!!)
DPole
Yo, DPole's performance was pretty fucking epic. I found it really cool that he was mixing traditional Korean music and sounds with more modern beats and technology. I think it's pretty freaking cool and I am really interested in seeing him work in a band. Unrelated, but I love that pad he got from Jeju Island like it is gorgeous. I gotta say though, this guy is a genius. Like the Gameboy track was also pretty fucking cool and the coding and like technology shit behind this must be intense.
Lee Hyungbin
Like the other genius guitarists, Hyungbin was so fucking cool. Like his song was so good. The technique was insane but still sounds gorgeous.
Park Youngjin
His drumming was definitely very cool. He definitely fits that classic, rock style with both his appearance and his drumming style. It was just a little sad that he missed one cymbal but still overall the performance was pretty fucking cool
Ganeung Band
I really enjoyed their performance. I really liked the first song. I loved the vocals and the violin solo was epic. I wasn't as sold with Smooth Criminal because as much as I love that song it is used so much for violin covers. However, I did like it more in the second half of the song with the little drum break and the stellar use of dynamics and the violin departing from the melody.
Group 4
Kevin Oh
I think that Kevin is really great at conveying emotions through his music. I was really able to feel the nostalgia through this song, which was intended by Kevin. His voice was also great, of course. It had that classic, rock sound and really brought that emotion to the song.
Lee Jong Hoon
Yo, this performance fucking slapped. Like, damnnn. I can't wait to see him perform in a band. Like that band will have some groovy fucking beats. Like that bass playing was so groovy and epic.
Kang Kyeong Yoon
I never thought I'd say that I would listen to a national anthem in my free time, but I totally would listen to this. Like that was just fucking amazing. I really think that partnered with Lee Jong Hoon, some truly groovy shit.
Zairo
I really liked his original song. It was definitely more what is commonly thought of as rock compared to the other original songs that were performed thus far. At first I was a little confused and disappointed that he didn't sing and play the guitar at the same time during the song, but I got over it with how gorgeous his voice sounded and how epic his guitar solo was. Also, they were hyping up him bringing two guitars, but he only uses one. Like I wanted to see what he would do with the other guitar!
Mellow Kitchen
As a fellow saxist (a terrible one but still), I was really excited to see him perform. I also think it would be really cool to see what contributions his saxophone playing can make in a band. i was immediately impressed that Mellow Kitchen was a soprano saxophone rather than a tenor, which I feel is commonly used for saxophone solos. This is mainly because soprano saxophones require a significantly tighter embouchure and is more easily out of tune than the other types of saxophones. He also fucking killed it, like is saxophone playing was perfection. I can't even imagine reaching that level of skill.
Kim Jibeom
Unrelated to his performance, Jibeom's aesthetic is top notch. I fucking love it. Now, Jibeom's performance. I was a little disappointed that he chose Lean On Me because, like Smooth Criminal, I love this song but I have heard different people sing it so often. So, I wasn't really impressed with his singing until he started ad libbing, and then I started enjoying the performance more.
Gift
They described themselves as having a sort of dreamy sound, and I totally feel that. The song choice was perfect and allowed them to showcase their talents as well as really display their style. There was bass solo at the beginning and end of the song that was able to showcase Kim Hyungwoo's talents as a bassist. Additionally, Lee Joohyuk was able to show his guitar playing skills as well as extremely pretty and unique voice.
-
Ok, so those are all of the auditions that were broadcasted. If you were paying attention, I bolded certain auditions. Those are the ones that I was the most impressed by and left a lasting impression on me. It just happens all the guitarist shown blew me away, like I am beyond impressed. I am so excited to see what all of these musicians do on the show. I can't really visualize the bands that will form but I do think that one combination that would be really cool would be Lee Jong Hoon, Kang Kyeong Yoon, Mellow Kitchen, and Kim Jibeom. If they were to form some sort of jazzy funk soul kind of band, that would be pretty epic. I am going to wait before starting to watch the next episode, Episode 3, because the first challenge spans from Episode 3-5, and Episode 5 english subtitles are not out yet. So, I am going to wait for that challenge to be fully out, so I can enjoy all of it at once.
Anyway, I just want to thank 0412subs and jungjaesammy again for putting in the time and effort to translating these episodes of Superband. I have been wanting to watch this show for around two months now, and I am sure others have waited even longer, and I so grateful that I am able to fully enjoy it now thanks to these people. I am really excited to see what happens next. I also highly suggest that you check out the show yourself. I personally have found so many new songs and artists to check out, and since there are so many different styles of music displayed in the show, there is something for everyone. So, please check it out and give these indie artists some love. So... Um... Yeah...
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