REVIEW: CL - ALPHA

4/5

Hello Again Bitches.

Before BTS took over the world and then 'My Universe' with Coldplay. Before BLACKPINK shouted their name in capital exclamation. Before even 'Parasite' won the Academy Award for 'Best Picture', changing the game and the name of Oscar's 'Foreign Film' category. Before the streaming 'Squid Game' even beat Netflix records for a creator who back in the day couldn't even sell the script. Before all that, the South Korean juggernaut like a 'John Wick' like assassin 'The Villainess' on a rampage, was 2NE1. Don't look twice...they're legends in this industry and pioneers like speakers to the bass power of this world takeover potential of a K Pop genre that matches catchy hooks with hip-hop stars that can actually rap and flow famously. Now a decade later the former teen idol, rapper/singer CL makes her own mark as a solo star in the world of idols that love themselves and encourage you to too, all in the name of an empowering positivity. CL is fearless, but as NPR tell us on their New Music Friday page (our weekly source of what to review, thank you public radio) this is the album were the warrior reveals her "anxieties and insecurities." This is 'Alpha' all for the beta on the 'Hello Bitches' (it's not Britney. But another emancipating icon) singers own popping label, Very Cherry. Let it floss like gloss on the lips. Kiss, kiss. Bang, bang! 

Being John Malkovich, how about the Academy actor being her biggest fan and appearing as a gold statue in her landmark video that even features a Pikachu Lambo? You've got to catch it all! "Excuse me. Do you have that sauce that is spicy? Made in Korea," Malkovich asks to begin this album with 'Spicy' that's hot like Raptor Pascal Siakam in the cold heart of The 6, Toronto like Drake. Lee Chae-rin raps with cocksure swagger in a parade of red wigs and GOAT sneers and snarls. "She got the sauce and it's spicy/You looking at the most fly Asians/You got the sauce and it's spicy/You rocking with the most fly Asians", she hooks us with, "energy, power and chemistry." All before putting on for her whole country. "Where we from/Them Koreans getting up higher/Making everything spice, now put the fliers/We can never be stopped, you getting tired." This is the anthem. Whilst the stellar second song and single 'Lover Like Me' is the sing-along ballad that 2NE1 would have been proud to catch. The new "to the left, to the left" empowering anthem of its own that like queen Beyoncé is 'Irreplaceable' with lyrics like, "Caught you out there, honey/You so, so funny/You come back running, running/Yeah, you miss my love/And you miss my money/I'll tell you something, something", sang in chorus unison. With no time to hate you so much now like Kelis when living well, legendary and rich is the best revenge as the coldest in this game. No men need apply or climb up the Rapunzel rope hair in her video to save her. This queen is in her own castle now.  Lacing up lyrics on 'Chuck' and 'Xai' keep this music xcstasy popping before CL 'Let It' ride like, "오늘도 계속해서 걷긴 걷는데/제자리인 것 같을까 매일 또 나는 왜/이제 누가 또 뭐랬는지, 누가 또 뭐래는지/쓸때없는 걱정들만 하는게/지치는 날들 속에 깊은 밤에 잠긴/환히 떠오르는 아침 나를 다시 반길/기분 좋은 소식들과 내 자신을 찾길/바라며, I'm rising, 바라며, I'm shining."

'Tie A Cherry' is the perfect bow to wrap up this new label and release, stuck everywhere like adhesive fliers on the digital, video game Akihabara streets of Tokyo, Japan. Set to seduce a whole range of artists like pulling said fruit of the stem with her same tongue. The same tongue that lashes lyrics, "Hand on my chest I'm flying/No one can see what I can see/이 세상 어딜가든 there only one and me/I can tie a cherry/Look, I got a gold tongue/몸 안에 케미." Silver draped and designed in some Cleopatra like headdresses on this album artwork that makes her look as powerful as Charlize Theron in 'Snow White and The Huntsmen', this is her moment to shine through all the linings. Just another day in 'Paradise' like channelling Phil Collins like cousins Brandy and Ray-J for the coldest play like Chris Martin with those Bangtan boys speaking at the United Nations. No longer lost in translation or worrying about two-inch characters (hello, Donald. How was your rally?) this is world unifying like a 'Siren' call to arms. But like Sinatra to be Frank, this is the 'My Way' of the former 2NE1 singer after the groups grand goodbye like Japan's Arashi, all night long like Lionel on New Year's Eve. 'Hwa' with a 'Mwah' to kiss the game goodbye. In closing this is '5 Star' like said single that should top the charts. That certified in English translation sings along, "What more do you need?/Boy I got you in my arms/I only need you/This night without a star/Shining/That ceiling above my head/Spinning around." Riding her own wave on a first solo album full of greatest hits. A decadent debut of dynamic defiance. All for the Seoul of this YG star who has been around the world-from Japan to France like konichiwa and ooh la, la-before signing with that very label at just 15. Now an OG in this game, CL is still smooth like a cherry. Very much so. The 'Baddest Female' of this Korean wave. The 'ALPHA' is here. The Alpha is her. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Playlist Picks: 'Spicy', 'Lover Like Me', 'Tie A Cherry'.