KYUHYUN - 'FALL, ONCE AGAIN'

Track List:

1. A Million Pieces
2. Remember Me
3. Autumn Sleeves
4. Piano Forest
5. Because I Miss You
6. Wind
7. Ways To Say Goodbye



Super Junior's Kyuhyun charmed us last year with his solo debut mini-album and the ballad "At Gwanghwamun." He's back with a new mini-album, 'Fall, Once Again,' full of touching ballads and just in time for a solo concert in SM Entertainment's 'The Agit' series. The album includes the title song "A Million Pieces" and the Kyuhyun-composed piece "Ways To Say Goodbye."

Tenderly sung, Kyuhyun reins in his voice for "A Million Pieces," which makes it work better in my opinion. It brings a soft emotion to the track and works nicely with the message of the lyrics.  I don't think it's as lyrically evocative as "At Gwanghwamun," but it's still pretty. The message is upbeat, singing to a girl he loves, saying he can't live without her.


 
"Remember Me" starts out as a pensive track. The bulk of the track is warm and quiet, but towards the end treads into power ballad territory with pleading vocals telling us all about love and loss. The lyrics talk about a girl who left him, but he still loves her and asks her to remember him.

"Autumn Sleeves" is a guitar-driven track, and Kyuhyun gently describes the scene to us in his comforting voice. The tension builds in the end, his vocals changing to yearning and wounded. The song is about finding a sweater in the closet, bringing back painful memories.



The more uptempo "Piano Forest" is a nice little ditty. It more properly belongs in the soft rock realm and wouldn't have been out of place on '70s radio. His vocals give you a bittersweet feeling. The song has very evocative lyrics, appealing to the five senses, evoking the feeling of walking on the dry and colorful leaves of autumn.

"Because I Miss You" is a wistful and sincere piece, and the piano accompaniment is very understated. Kyuhyun's clear voice is very soothing here, and we almost see him penning a tear-stained love letter to a lost love. The lyrics are pretty unambiguous on this point: nostalgia dominates his heart and thoughts, and he just wants to see her today.



The sixth track, "Wind," is a very stripped-down number. A piano and acoustic guitar are his only companions on this song. His voice is occasionally angst-ridden, and it sounds like he misses his lover very much. It's smooth and soul-baring, and what we've come to expect from Kyuhyun. The wind brings a familiar scent to his nostrils, the scent of a lover who is only a memory.

"Ways To Say Goodbye" is the final track, penned by Kyuhyun himself. It starts out slower than the other tracks, but it soon picks up a lot of production backing him, with orchestral flourishes and even a beat. He uncages his voice on the last half of the tune, and it soars like a freed bird. He is telling a lover that he's back, if she wants him.



One of the things that's so impressive about the album is that Kyuhyun uses no English words on this album. Too many artists insert an English word or phrase here and there, and too often it sounds weird or awkward. Not so in this case. Kyuhyun's delivery is flawless, and the songs are by turns soothing and moving. His quiet tenor matches the emotions of the songs quite well. This is the perfect album to pair up with some percolating coffee and a blanket; let this album keep you warm this autumn.

MV REVIEW

 
Kyuhyun takes in the sights of Switzerland and falls in love in "A Million Pieces."

Two tourists meet in Zurich, Switzerland and become traveling companions, though she initially rebuffs his advances. There are many cute moments, not to mention the incredibly beautiful scenery. The two appear to fall for each other, remembering the times they had together. But then tragedy rears its ugly head.

This is an absolutely beautiful video, filled with centuries-old buildings, scenes on a boat on water that reflects the sky, street markets, fountains, green fields, and just overall majesty.



Actress Go Ara ('Reply 1994,' 'You're Surrounded') played Kyuhyun's at first reluctant partner, and she did a great job with expressions and lines. She not only made you smile but also tear up, and that takes some pretty convincing acting.  

Kyuhyun did a bang-up job as well, and had the best pick-up line ever: "I'm not weird. I'm a student." :)



We're seeing quite a few top flight MVs lately, and thank God for that. Or rather, in this case, thank SM. They've gotten their artists out of the box and onto a beach, on a train, on the moors of New Zealand, and now in Zurich. The visuals in this MV are quite impressive. The beauty of the city, the lovely Go Ara, and Kyuhyun's disarming smile. The ending is really sad and wrenched tears from my eyes. No, I'm not going to spoil it for you. It's genuinely moving, and ranks as one of the best MVs I've seen this year.  

SEE ALSO: Singer Kyuhyun to kick off national tour in Seoul