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Kang Ta 2 : "Pine Tree"

This was a nice follow up album to his first CD "Polaris." While the first album was focused mainly on jazz, the second one doesn't have as much content there, while it still has its fair share of jazz. Kang Ta's sophomore solo effort turned out really well, and shows his maturity and the progress he's made as an artist. He produced 70% of the songs on this Album, and it's a really nice album, I'd recommend buying it, or downloading it. Tracks recommended are in Bold.

1. Spring
One cool thing about this album is the interludes are named after seasons, which seem to be a theme in "Pine Tree," and they all seem to reflect their respective namesakes quite well. Spring is a Jazzy number that's not very long but leaves a pleasant feeling after listening to it

2. Happy Happy
I didn't like this song at first, it was too bright for me. But now I like it a lot haha. It's a very upbeat, jazzy ditty, but some people might find it too upbeat heh. Think of doobidub from his first album, and think of a much more upbeat version of it, that's "happy happy" for you.

3. Memories
A nice slower ballad, reminds me a little bit of "Polaris." It's not anything really innovative, I would say standard fare ballad, but that's not to say it's not really good, because it is really good.

4. Propose
This song is alright, mid-tempo track that sounds like it's based off of last summer night... i think that's a really bad description for it actuallly heh...

5. Summer
Another interlude, I like this one, and how it precedes "confession." The two flow well together. It has just acoustic guitars in it.

6. Confession
This is a good song. I like this a lot heh. If you liked "Last Summer night" you will love this song. My only complaint is the drums used in it, i thought they could have been toned down or even omitted, but the song is still really good.

7. The Best
I wouldn't say this song is the best, but it's not bad. It's the dance number on this cd, and I'd say his faster-dance type song from the first album was better, but this isn't bad at all.

8. Autumn
This interlude consists of strings, and is nice, reflects the fall feeling quit well i guess, haha.

9. Memories # 2
The continuation of the earlier song? I suppose. Another solid ballad, that's similar to "memories, " this is a great song too.

10. Flower
This song is just okay too... it's a slower, mid-tempo song, that seems "pop-ish," I don't know heh... it's ok though

11. 2032 in Cuba
This song's pretty cool. starts with a descending string section (if that means anything), and then goes into a standard jazz song, I like this song, it's soft, and laidback.

12. Winter
The Piano interlude, nice nice.

13. Nocturne
A sadder-sounding ballad, but it doesn't seem that way towards the end... not sure heh, it's really good though. Kang Ta's singing abilities really shine in this track.

14. One Snowing Day
Another great jazzy song. Very mellow, like your relaxing in a jazz bar listening to it straight out of "Thanks God" heh.

15. Pine Tree
A really good song. Really sad, and powerful like "Polaris." It's about waiting for love in the same place. At first a friend and I were talking about how the first album was catchier, and in some respects I agree with that, but after listening to this album more, I like both a lot, I'm not sure which one's better though, both are really good and really memorable. This track in particular is a powerful ballad, Kang Ta really shines in this one too, I can see why it's the title track and the first single. It's a fairly conventional ballad, it's good, and that's for sure.

16. Album Medley (*hidden track*)
It's a cool addition, gives a nice feel to the album of "pine tree." It's just excerpts from each song taken together to form a medley, it's pretty simple, but nice, I guess.


None of the songs are bad on this album, I'd say. I only don't like 3 songs as much as I do the others, and that's pretty good I'd say (those three being propose, the best, and Flower. They are decent songs though)

hope this review was at all helpful, and I hope if you're interested, that you check this album out, it's good.

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word is bond

i like this album better than 1rst.

some songs in pine tree sound EXACTLY like those jazzy songs in polaris.


but i like pine tree album anyway..

3 out of 5 stars

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nice review TM11,

some of my favorite songs were not highlighted hah, but i'll tell everyone so they can put them into account i guess. Anyway, my favorites, including those that were highlighted by Tomas, were:

1) Memories
2) Propose - one of those songs you can listen to a lot and not realize it's the same song, and it doubles the amount of times you can listen to it and not get bored of it haha, anyone know what i'm talking about?
3) Nocturne - My absolute favorite on the whole album, this is one of the few on the album that could go alone as an instrumental track alone, it's really nice.
4)Confession
5)One Snowing Day - just a nice song, reminds me of what i liked about the first album, coffee music , really nice feel to it.
6)2032 in Cuba - forgot about this one, so i'm adding it. Anyway this is one of my top 3 favorite songs on the album.

What i think were the worst songs on the album, but were to no account bad. Were:

1)flower
2)the best

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Long messages do not equal aggravation of any sort,
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that should always be read in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Those womyn that seek equality with men, lack determination."

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-Cromwell

I really liked 2023 in cuba and one snowing day, it seems most kpop fans don't like his jazzier songs so you probalby wouldn't like those songs, but they were great. I just didn't want to end up bolding all of the titles heh.

I really think the jazz songs in this one stand out from the jazz songs from "Polaris." His newer ones seem more "matured" I guess, you can see how he's "evolved as an artist" haha.

It seems a lot of traditional kpop fans and h.o.t. fans who were used to h.o.t.'s music didn't really like the jazz style... I think it's refreshing to see though, coming from such a mainstream artist...

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word is bond

i LOVE his jazzy songs! they're so relaxing to listen to. i think both his 1st and 2nd albums r good ^_^ but how come not a lot of ppl like 'the best'? i thought it was pretty kool... :huh: but my favs from his 2nd album is 'propose', 'flower' and 'happy happy' cause it's so happy! LOL -_-; then there r others but i cant remember the names

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"Remember...hope is a good thing,
maybe the best of things,
and no good thing ever dies."

I didn't like it as much as his first. Some of the songs were pretty cheesy music wise.
Confession was really good. I really liked that one.

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"Before and After" Ayumi Hamasaki

my favorite tracks were:

2. Happy Happy - very upbeat and jazzy. similar to doobidub in the instrumental arrangement. I like that the song isn't so melancholy.

3. Memories - good artistic merit. as always, his vocal talent shines through.
btw, did anyone else think that the fabric catching on his face in the mv was incredibly groovy?^_^

8. Autumn -
9. Memories #2 - really nice song to follow up the first one.

10. Flower - I liked this song very very much. the beat, I think, is much better than Propose. I always wait for the clicking noise. it was a nice touch:)

11. 2032 in Cuba - very lovely vocals. I think it's really cool

14. One Snowing Day - really nice jazz track. I like the tone. it seems fitting to the season.

15. Pine Tree - a fitting end to a really good album^^



the only song I really couldn't get into was "The Best" I like the style of "sunmool seh" a lot better.
I like both of his albums very much. I can't wait for the release of his third^_^

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