Nell(넬)- C Album Thoughts(K-rock)

01. 습관적 아이러니
02. Day After Day
03. 시간의 지평선
04. Dream Catcher
05. 어떤 날 중에 그런 날
06. Home
07. 이명
08. Full Moon
09. Sing For Me
10. 희망고문
11. Let the Hope Shine







     Indie rock band turned mainstream success known as Nell is back with their 7th album to date. These boys have been on the scene since 2001 causing excitement with their dark edgy rock and piano influenced sounds. I was introduced to Nell some years ago thanks to songs like "Its Okay". Youtube probably was so sick of me playing that song on my account that I think action was taken eventually and the video was deleted.... well, there was not "official" channel for Korean music back then. Nell is still in the music game creating a new album called simply "C".

  " C" is the first album in awhile that Nell has released independently. The band recently decide that they wanted to create their own label and do music on their own. Can't say that I blame them since Nell's realm of music is different from most of the music that is out on the Korean music scene. While Nell continues to enjoy success, they have never reached the height of other major Korean artists. The reason is because Nell's music isn't mass appealing. This isn't a bad thing but I don't see people who like Girl Generation listening to Nell. We might have those special cases of people who would but for the most part Nell is too dark and deep for most SNSD fans. They drive this point home with a new album that presents a sound full of evolution containing a solid electrical style. Normally, Nell rocks our heads off with guitars accompanied by light piano playing but this time things switch up to a firmer style that makes everything seem more like one instrument.  Electrical beats fly throughout each track allowing Nell to touch different genres without seeming too desperate for listeners attention. You only hear music that these musicians want to express not sell more of.  Ballads enter the time slot effortlessly to support the music call organization that is happening as we listen to "C".  Song choruses feel contained and relaxed because they either support the production of hard booming instrumental beats or pull back so the music can influence the listener alone. "Dream Catcher"as we'll as other tracks take you on a n adventurous journey where Nell is the most rebellious, mixing rock, pop, electronica, and group vocals to create an album that can truly be called a work of art.


   Vocalist Kim Jong Wan vocals are that of a high tenor. He sometimes also has a haunting  quality that comes out whenever he gets excited. He has the voice to sing ballads or just straight up pop music but things never seem that cookie cutter when it comes to the kind of music Nell wants to do. Everything about his voice sounds like a musician who sits in his basement and writes songs that speak to him before he worries about what the general public might like. His talents seems to work the most when he is singing songs that he can put his honest emotions into for a good result. Most of Nell's song's are love songs so most people can relate to the lyrics. Their songs just don't get too sappy. A certain maturity in not only Kim Jong Wan's vocals but in the core being of Nell's music won;t allow it.

  My problem with "C" is that the album wasn't catchy enough for me. I have had this issue before with Nell's other albums. The titles tracks are good and then I will like a few songs on the album but their full albums never seem to bring a full out intensity that select songs seem to have. We can chalk it up to being a matter of different tastes in music on my part. Much respect goes to Nell for continuing to stay artistic and not becoming commercial.  I just need them to produce an album where i'm not skipping a half of the songs because they make no impact on me whatsoever  as a listener. "C" has good tracks that will relax you then make you want to move to the rhythm all at the same time but don;t expect every song to appeal to you.  Like I said above, Nell is in their own realm of music. At least we also get invited in.