Fan Zone

I just created a Fan Zone on my site. It is basically like a guestbook or a very limited forum where you can post messages about Big Mama or just simply leave me a comment. You are still welcome to comment on the regular entries in the front page, but I just wanted to create a space where people can post about the latest Big Mama news and interact with other fans.

I was surfing for some Big Mom news and stumbled on this survey on the Korean idols of the present time:

Mnet music research centre did an investigation on 1000 male and female adults for the whole month of June. The investigation looked into the 57 singers/teams who are the most active currently in the Korean music scene in terms of vocal capabilities, appearances, amiability, talent, performance and variety. (Source).

I have no interest whatsoever in the so-called idols, but one of the results caught my eye because Big Mama is ranked number 1 in Vocal Capabilities. Here’s the top 10 list:

Vocal capabilities:

1. Big Mama
2. Gummy
3. Lee SeungChul
4. Kim TaeWoo
5. Park HyoShin
6. Yoon MiRae
7. SG Wannabe
8. KWill
9. Kim BumSoo
10. Shin SeungHoon

I’m not surprised that Big Mama came in first on singing talents. The individual members are terrific singers in their own right but together they’re unstoppable! If only they would start performing again already.

Big Mama released new single

Sorry for having disappeared for a while. Real life has kept me away from this site as well as from following Big Mama closely. I’m really grateful for people who continue to visit this blog and leave comments updating us on our favourite group. Since I will be rather busy for a while, I might need to rely more and more on other fans for the latest Big Mama news. I’m trying to think of a way to create an area on the blog here where fans can easily post about Big Mama and interact with each other. This way the site can keep going even when I’m not around.

Anyway, the latest Big Mama news is that the group just released a digital single called [절 대]. Google translated the title to “Never”. Any Korean speaker want to confirm or correct that?

You can check out their latest single below (thanks to DGRLA for the tip!):

It’s a pretty upbeat song and I like it. What do you think?

My thoughts on “5″

I have had “5″ on repeat for the last few days, and it still blows my mind. What a comeback! After such a long wait, I would have been happy had Big Mama released a mediocre album, but they came out – pardon my baseball metaphor – swinging for the fences. I feel like all our patience has been rewarded with this amazing album, and I’m inclined to agree with those who believe this might be their best one yet. In a way, it is a very Big Mama album, full of songs that showcase their powerful vocals and beautiful harmonies, but it also sets itself apart from their previous efforts with the amount of quality, variety and maturity in the music. The songs were well chosen to show off their musicality with a mix of music genres that include pop, R&B, jazz, and even some hip-hop and Latin beat! As usual, the members’ solos add something extra to the album with their individual flavours, but this time we also get two duets! It’s quite a treat for us Big Mama fans.

Personally, I love every minute of the album, so it’s hard for me to pick a favourite. I’ll say though that the first few tracks are mighty impressive. The great start sets the standard for the rest of the album. I know people might have different opinions as to what their favourite Big Mama album is, but I think most people would agree “5” is their most mature and complete album to date.

Welcome back, Big Mama!

New album info

OK I’m on a roll today. Weekend means catching up with Big Mama news!

Here’s the official CD cover and track list for the fifth album.

01.Fire (유지영 작사/심태현 작곡)
02.Beautiful Day (신연아,이영현,이지영,박민혜 작사/홍정수,박영민 작곡)
03.기다리다 미쳐 (류재현 작사/작곡)
04.태우다 (신연아 작사/이현정 작곡)
05.소녀를 사랑한 소나무 (신연아 작사/황현 작곡)
06.하루만 (서엘 작사/강화성 작곡)
07.좁은 하늘 (신연아 작사/작곡) – 신연아 Solo
08.오직 사랑 (이지영 작사/작곡) – 이지영 Solo
09.Rainbow Dream (메이비 작사/홍정수,박영민 작곡)
10.Daylight (김진환 작사/작곡)
11.우리, 결혼해요 (신연아 작사/박영민 작곡)
12.그날의 우린 (이영현 작사/작곡) – 이영현 Solo
13.The Way (박민혜 작사/작곡) – 박민혜 Solo
14.사랑 (신연아 작사/권석홍 작곡)
15.혼잣말 (신연아 작사/윤승환 작곡)

I bolded the tracks that have been released (or a snippet of it anyway). It looks like the tradition of Big Mama members writing their own solos continues for this album as well. I’m trying to see what other tracks have been written by Big Mama, but all the Korean characters are making my head hurt.

Anyone wants to try and translate the titles?

Big Mama music video teaser

A teaser clip from their new music video is now online here: http://ch.gomtv.com/2774/26861/353187.

However, the website is in Korean and requires you to use EI browser and download some plugin in order to watch the video. I couldn’t make it work myself, but if you know Korean or are able to watch the video, post your thoughts!

Hopefully someone will upload the teaser to YouTube soon.

New album release postponed to March 23rd

I’m kind of busy with real life right now, so I’m just going to post this message from our Korean friend Robert in regard to the new album release being pushed back to the 23rd:

hello!
I know I told you bigmama was going to come back on the 5th of march,
but it turned out to be the 10th march,
and then again, they postponed it till the 23rd.
I think this time it’s for sure, because there was an article about why things were postponed. (they said it was because of the music video shoot, and delay in picking the title track)

anyway, the article also said the followings.

There are gonna be 15 tracks including the two songs that were pre-released.
Just like their previous albums, each 4 members will have their solo tracks (ones they wrote themselves).
There is going to be one pmh and lyh’s duet song, and one sya and ljy duet song.
Their old song 혼잣말 (monologue) will also be part of the album but it will be a remade version.
that leaves us 6 more new songs that they all sang together.
anyway, I’m so excited!!!

Thanks to Robert for the latest information! So it’s going to be a longer wait but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.

Just like Robert, I am also very excited!

March 10th!

Just a  small correction about Big Mama’s fifth album release date. The album will come out on March 10th instead of 5th as I posted below. So yeah, one more week!!

In the meantime, here are the download links for the two teaser tracks released digitally in February.

1. 하루만 [Only One Day]

2. Rainbow Dream

Seriously, I don’t even care how good the new album is. I just want them to come back! They’ve gotta come out and promot their album, right? Can’t wait to see them sing live again. Back togehter at last!

Picture Credit: YELLOWKOOKY (http://cafe.daum.net/mamadoongji)

They are back!!

Big Mama is back and their fifth studio album will be out on March 5th!

This is a surprising development in the ongoing saga of “did they or didn’t they break up”, and now I guess the answer is a resounding NO to the breakup rumours! According to our Korean friend Robert, all Big Mama members have left Manwalldang and are once again under the same record label. As a Big Mama fan, this is the best news possible after 2.5 years of inactivity from the group and all the rumours and uncertainties. I really hope this means they are back together for good and we will have many more years of great music from them.

Their fifth album is titled “5″ and two teaser tracks have been released.

Check out these videos for the two teaser tracks from the album.

“Only One Day” (하루만)

“Rainbow Dream”

I can’t wait for the new album. Their comeback is going to be sooo sweet!

Lee Young Hyun and JeA collaboration

Vocal powerhouse BEG JeA and Big Mama Lee YeongHyun for duet collaboration

Brown Eyed Girls leader JeA and Big Mama Lee Yeong Hyun (28) will have their first collaboration since their debut.

According to Mnet Media on 15th December, the 2 will be singing a duet ‘When You Believe’ for the OST for a movie to be screened next year.

Mnet Media said, “JeA and Lee YeongHyun have both dreamed to be singers together before debut during their college days (They both attended the music course at DongAh Broadcast Arts College), and through this project album, they will meet again as 2 of the best singers.”

The 2 will be remaking the duet song ‘When You Believe’ originally by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Source:Starnews & K Bites

My thoughts on Take It.

I revamped the site a bit and added ‘Solo Projects’ page to keep track of Big Mama members’ individual projects. I also added Lee Young Hyun’s EP for download (see post below).

I listened to the CD twice so far and liked it. The tracks are mostly ballads that utilize Young Hyun’s powerful voice. I don’t understand Korean, but juding by the track titles, it seems like most songs are depressing love songs. If you take Young Hyun’s solos from the Big Mama albums and put them together, you’d get Take It. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; Young Hyun knows where her strengths are and put together an album that showcases them. I also wouldn’t say that the music is exactly like Big Mama’s. It is perhaps more pop and less R&B and has less variety, but I think Young Hyun fans would be satsified with her first solo effort.

My favourite tracks are “Ready for Love”, “Sorry, I Loved You” and the new version of “Resignation”. I find the middle tracks are the weakest because they are just, well, too similar to each other. Listening to the CD makes me miss Big Mama even more though. I really miss their harmony. I love Young Hyun’s voice, but together Big Mama is unstoppable. I hope, in spite of the rumours and the members going solo, we will still have the joy of hearing their harmony once again … soon.

In the meantime, give Take It a try. It’s worth it.