w-inds. ft. G-Dragon – Rain is Falling
Japanese boyband meets Korean rapper – what happens next?…
[Video][Website]
[4.75]
Hillary Brown: “Maneater” reenvisioned with far fewer teeth, but it’s still kind of a romp.
[5]
Ian Mathers: The Jukebox last heard from w-inds in 2006 with the awesomely manic “It’s in the Stars” (or rather “IT’S! IN! THE! STARS!”), and at first this is a bit of let down, cocky rapping and all. But that chorus is just indelible, even if it seems to be from an entirely different story from whatever G-Dragon is saying.
[7]
Michaelangelo Matos: I’m missing acres of context by knowing dick about current Japanese pop culture, I admit, but most of this just sounds like the usual coded cheer-up-or-else that mall-ready boy bands deliver whatever the language.
[5]
Martin Skidmore: Stabby synths and smooth but rather bland vocals, plus some rapping from their Korean guest (these are the best parts, I think), never quite come together into much of a song. Dull.
[3]
Chuck Eddy: Euro-hip-house-reminiscent (as in, like, Snap or somebody) opening rap portion sets up a high expectation the subsequent merely pleasant NKOTB pastiche can’t possibly meet. Next time maybe they’ll be smarter and build to G-Dragon.
[6]
Chris Boeckmann: Man, not even G-Dragon can save w-inds.
[2]
Anthony Miccio: Though “rain is fawwwiiing” is the infectious hook all international crossover requires, I actually prefer the playerific raps – and miss them by the end – to the strained singing. If there weren’t English keywords to grasp in the chorus (“spotlight & champagne!”), this would be a far less entertaining refraction.
[7]
Martin Kavka: This would have been an 8 in 2002. One point docked for G-Dragon’s laughably wide lapels in the video.
[4]