It is Taeyang – Dong Young Bae’s – 1st full album (SOLAR) that can completely enter the category of a “Well Made” album and at the level of “CAN DO” (as in, he CAN reach the top tiers of music).
It is obvious that he is a singer who assimilates American mainstream R&B in the most stylishly form in Korea, and that was confirmed in his first mini album that contains ‘Look Only At Me’ made by Teddy. I’m am very satisfied that the boy who has featured in Se7en and Lexy’s albums as well as Wheesung’s 2nd album <It’s Real> has combined his strengths to grow up like this.
The overall format of this album is that of R&B, as expected. Specifically speaking, rather than Chris Brown’s somewhat intense sound that has been reshuffling the market or D’Angelo’s neo soul, this album has the scent of Omarion, who he has repeatedly revealed as his idol and Ne-yo, who Koreans are very fond of.
It is remarkable that the feel of pop in his past song, ‘Look Only At Me’, has been well mixed, with the more polish style in this album. Rather than SOLAR being compared to American mainstream music, I want to say that the musical style he expresses has started to be known now (through him).
Of course SOLAR, has some songs that are a bit ambiguous to call them mainstream style, but it isn’t a problem when you see the overall format of the album. Most of all, it is Taeyang’s SOLAR that is worthy to be evaluated as the best among R&B albums released this year in Korea. He has proved by himself it was not an accident that he won the double prizes in the field of the best R&B/soul at the 6th Korean music awards in 2009.
Reviewed by: OhmyNews
Translations: myokoon@alwaystaeyang
Devoted to the Sun 