NINE MUSES - LOST ('Til The Night Is Over)

1. a.m. 3:00
2. Sleepless Night
3. Secret
4. Koong Chit Dak Chit
5. TO.MINE
6. Sleepless Night (Inst.)



Nine Muses has dropped their new album, and they hope it won't be 'Lost' on fans. This is their third comeback this year, having released 'Drama' in January and 'Hurt Locker' in July. The title track, "Sleepless Night," was produced by Brave Brothers, and "TO.MINE" features lyrics written by the members themselves. Are you ready to give it spin?  
 
The first track, "a.m. 3:00" has an insistent piano line, like a ticking clock. You've done this too, whiling away in bed, awake, wishing you weren't. Ethereal and a bit eerie, this intro track is mostly about insomnia, leading into the title song.



"Sleepless Night," a slow groove with an unknown singer crooning "Baby" in the background. It's kind of a swingy melody, punchy yet seductive. The Brave Brothers team has succeeded in crafting something original. The effects that make up the song are great, like the ticking clock that starts up again mid-bridge, the dialtone, etc. The piano is haunting by itself. The actual Hangul title of the song is "Can't Sleep, I'm Hungry," but the reason she can't sleep is because she can't stop thinking about the guy she lost.

Next up is "Secret," which is what I would have used as a title song. I love the lonely, searching bleeps of the synth in the beginning that are joined by an electric guitar and a more filled-out tune. We still have the drip drop from the synthesizer throughout, giving body to this danceable, seductive track. There's a breathless quality here, that just adds to the tension before the chorus. The song itself is a sneaky encounter with a lover.



We come to "Koong Chit Dak Chit," which is bold and brassy, and has a very different feel from the songs on this disc that we've heard thus far. The sassy horns are great, and the vocals on this track are strong and direct, the way they need to be given the subject matter. The song is about breaking up with a conceited loser -- no regrets.

"TO.MINE" is A folksy pop number with silky harmonies, sung to an acoustic guitar. I like it, because it's not entirely a ballad, but more a tune with a sweeping aesthetic. It's a pretty tune, and sometimes these girls sound so delicate in the arrangement. It's a pleasant finisher, a nice way to come down after the brattiness in "Koong Chit Dak Chit" and the urgency of "Secret." Put simply, it's an ode to a boy.



I've followed Nine Muses for awhile, and they almost consistently seem to put out top-notch, highly-listenable material (well, okay, I didn't care for 'Drama' too much). I think having a hitmaker on their side like Brave Brothers can only be a good thing as far as exposure goes. This album is a great winter release. Nothing too crazy, and we get some body-moving tunes and slow grooves, too. Fantastic comeback, and I'm looking forward to their next one, too.

MV REVIEW

Watch the girls of Nine Muses deal with sleeplessness, each in their own unique way.

This is an MV redolent with symbolism, filmed as it is behind filters, with soft light, artful shadows, and beautiful women. The girls can't sleep, and there's a dark cloud hanging over them as they fall into various routines, ranging from taking sleeping pills, to applying makeup, searching for the perfect bottle of perfume. At the center of it all is, a ring, a symbol of the guy they rejected, that somehow is still around, reminding them of what they had. The ring, plus the gifts, makes me think there was a wedding.



At least, that's my take on it.

The costumes range from fairly normal to rather revealing -- nothing like fan service to up the views. The great thing is,it avoids the excesses of "Wild," and actually rather classy. Kudos to the MV makers who are upping the bar these days, trying to make something that you can appreciate other than just appealing to the lowest common denominator.

There's almost no dancing here that I can see. There is some, but it's mostly the hip shaking type, and there's only a couple seconds before it heads back to the individual shots, where they're not dancing.



The girls appear as wonderful as ever, and I don't think I've seen Euaerin look better. Their acting is also spot on, looks of anguish and restlessness seem convincing. I like the way this plays out, and the girls don't seem lost or flustered, but instead enhance every shot. I like MVs like this, where there's enough to tease me but not as blatant as it could be, and the divorce subplot running through it is a nice touch. I have to give this a thumbs up.