PSY: PSY 6 Part 1

By now, everyone has heard of him. He has beaten Justin Bieber in the YouTube charts and Maroon 5 in the Billboard Top 100s. Appearances on talk shows and crazy dancing have accelerated his rapid journey to the top. This three-month reign is held by none other than Korean singer Psy.

The Berklee-educated singer took two years to release the first part of his sixth studio album, known as “Best Sixth.” After listening the first time, I was left with one impression: weird. Psy displays a new humorous image. He’s no typical idol, as shown in the music video for his hit single, “Gangnam Style.”

Although the album’s other five tracks feature top Korean artists, they remain in the shadow of “Gangnam Style.” The album opens with “Blue Frog,” an upbeat dance song with electric guitars layering one another and a random screaming bit at the end by G-Dragon.

The album also includes two ballads.

“Passionate Goodbye” is an electric version of a typical ballad. I immediately liked “What Would It Have Been Like,” in which Psy raps in harmony with Park Jung Hyun’s soft voice. Although the piano intro makes “Never Said Goodbye” sound like a soft ballad, it progresses into a full rock song.

Unlike America, where music commonly contains profanity, Korea is more sensitive about inappropriate language. As a result, some of Psy’s music has been banned.

When this album was released last July, Psy grabbed many fans from all over the globe, including some famous ones like Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, and The Wanted, who performed “Gangnam Style.” He taught Ellen DeGeneres and Britney Spears to dance on “The Ellen Show,” performed on “Saturday Night Live” and the “Today Show,” and made an appearance at the MTV Music Video Awards.

Psy has also taken over number-one spots on iTunes and the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

Although Psy doesn’t act like a typical artist, he is a talented rapper, singer, songwriter, and dancer. This album did give me an impression of weirdness, but I enjoyed its six unique tracks. Gallop your way to the store to get your copy.