Here's my review on G-Dragon's second full-length album. But does it deliver or disappoint? You may be surprised. **this was originally a joint review with a fellow UnitedKpop blogger but we split the review between us. For the joint review I went with tracks 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 13 and 14 but the review below are my personal thoughts of the entire album**
1. Coup D'etat (쿠데타; Kudeta) The vocal sample by Gil Scott-Heron opens the first song on the new album and provides a slightly out of worldly atmosphere. I found it a little creepy to begin with and suddenly thought of my favourite villains saying they'll take over the world. In the song's MV GD does look rather demented and psychotic and his appearance reflects the lyrics. I’m so fly. I’m scary F-Killer. Gorilla that steals girls’ hearts
2. Niliria (featuring Missy Elliott) Adding a touch of a traditional Korean folk song was a huge surprise for me because the song itself is like a "I've got swag, watch out" track. The wop wop wop wop drop it like bit is definitely catchy but I'm not sure if I actually "like" the song in general. Girls get all freaky, freaky because of GD...yes that's true
3. R.O.D. (featuring Lydia Paek)
A relationship that has people's head turning and how the girl and boy play with danger together. Most definitely a Bonnie and Clyde theme. The song starts off with a slight reggae beat and then speeds up when the singing kicks off. Lydia's parts are all in English which will make sing a long rather easy and the choruses are very catchy I'm guilty of this I won't lie. Also...that closing guitar riff is too cool.
4. Black (featuring Jennie Kim)
The first slow track on this album. I like it when GD slows it down and doesn't go crazy with some cracktastic themes. An easy-listening song, talking about what happens to your heart after a break-up and how it goes black. The color of my heart is black. It was burnt to black, just like that I break glass whenever I feel like. And I look at my bloody hands and think, why am I like this. The vocals by YG's Jennie Kim surprisingly blend with GD's mellow rapping.
5. Who You? (니가 뭔데; Niga Mwonde)
A song where GD talks about a former girlfriend who keeps showing up in his life. He misses her, still loves her but also hates her. I like the jazzy approach in Who You? and think it could become a potential favourite for a live performance.
6. Shake the World (세상을 흔들어; Sesangeul Heundeuleo) GD setting himself apart from other people, namely the fake crowd. Another "in your face" song. The chorus is catchy. All that Sesangeul Heundeuleo repeating in your head. May continue while you try to sleep as well.
7. MichiGo (미치Go) Hello crazy GD song. The music video was a bundles of utter confusion. It's like a fantasy world. Anyway ignoring how it's a slight rip off of a Rihanna song "Phresh Out The Runway", the song is catchy. A Crayon part 2 in terms of crack and insanity.
8. Crooked (삐딱 하게; Ppiddak Hage) A new rave song which I sometimes find myself waving my arms to in the same way as Crayon though nowhere near as crazily. Crooked works well for a party song because you might shout during the chorus and just jump up and down to let some steam off. What drew me to Crooked was how the lyrics talk about being angry and wanting to run away. Leave me alone. I was alone anyway. I have no one, everything is meaningless. Take away the sugar-coated comfort. And then the cruel twist where he asks for a little help near the end of the song, asking if you could be his friend and not realising how being alone would be hard.
9. Niliria (G-Dragon version) (늴리리야) Interesting to hear how different this version is compared to the Missy version. There is a bit more of the "watch out, GD is here and he's going to rule the world" approach. Rapping to a folk song from your country yes indeed Jiyong.
10. Runaway A funky pop rock song about an obsessive girlfriend. GD wants to runaway and not see that person ever again. This relationship is not based on love he says and he's had enough.
11. I Love It (featuring Zion.T and Boys Noize) (너무 좋아; Neomu Joh-a) I can picture Zion. T, GD and Boys Noize all sitting in a booth and checking hot women out while they drink away. The song talks about a playboy spending the night with a woman. He's complimenting the woman for her amazing physique and while they're having sex he tells her not to ask who he is and just enjoy the moment. This is a subtly raunchy song when you're reading the lyrics.
12. You Do (Outro) A song explaining how you could be anyone if you worked hard. You could be a Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne or perhaps a Kurt Cobain. You/I are/am not GD certainly.
On the CD only
13. Window A goodbye song for sure. But is it just after a secret one night stand? There's mention of the rain hitting the window on a sunny day and somehow the rain has significance to washing the pain of the possible break-up and how the window hides the secret of this quiet night. GD doesn't overpower his vocals here. He's singing quietly, making the song have a more intimate feel.
14. Black (featuring Sky Ferreira) Replacing Jennie Kim in this song is American singer songwriter Sky Ferreira and she sings the chorus in English which flows just as well as the original Korean version. I do wonder how this song would sound or whether it would attract a wider audience if GD sang his parts in English alongside Sky.
Overall rating: 4/5. Aside from GD's passion for hip-hop, as the One Of A Kind EP showed, he also manages to present Coup D'Etat with other genres. There is a touch of jazz, pop ballad, rock and disco.
UK Potential: 3.5/5. With the Sky and Missy collabs this might catch the attention of fans here, especially if they happen to know who these ladies are and like their music. Crooked might do well with UK music fans if they recognise the East London features in the video. A possible downside could be GD's overall "weirdness", namely with the opening track Coup D'Etat. People might not get him unless they sit down and read the lyrics' translations.
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