Review: Kang Seung Yoon Brings Back The Power Ballad With ‘STEALER’ [VIDEO]

Kang Seung Yoon, STEALER Although "STEALER," the new single from Kang Seung Yoon released on Wednesday, may begin with a whisper, when the powerhouse hook kicks in, the song offers up shades of Coldplay, early Radiohead and Muse

Kang Seung Yoon, STEALER

Although "STEALER," the new single from Kang Seung Yoon released on Wednesday, may begin with a whisper, when the powerhouse hook kicks in, the song offers up shades of Coldplay, early Radiohead and Muse.

There aren’t that many songs topping the K-pop charts that the average listener would describe as “rocking.”

“Funky?” Sure. “Passionate?” Absolutely. But “rocking?” Not so much.

And it is even more rare to hear the familiar strains of heavy rock guitars on a contemporary K-pop ballad.

If a song starts with a mellow acoustic guitar intro, listeners know they are typically in for three more minutes of the same.

Although “STEALER,” the new single from Kang Seung Yoon released on Wednesday, may begin with a whisper, when the powerhouse hook kicks in, the song offers up shades of Coldplay, early Radiohead and Muse.

Through an inventive use of dynamics, Kang and YG staff producer Teddy craft a track that goes places, building up to memorable hooks through the use of both sizzling electric guitars and thick strings.

Kang spent two years studying to become a star in YG Entertainment’s famed trainee program.

With his third single to be released on YG in the last three months, he demonstrates what the last two years spent out of the spotlight earned him on “STEALER.”

At 19, Kang has maturity in his sound and a daring quality to his musical direction that shows the transformation to fully-formed pop star is complete.

His stylistic choice for “STEALER” is intriguing.

Although killed in the US by terrible pop rock bands like Creed or Nickelback (even though the latter band is technically Canadian), Kang proves the power ballad can still be an excellent vehicle for to explore dynamics in songwriting.

Bands like Electric Light Orchestra, Cheap Trick or Supertramp created masterpieces within the genre in the age of the power ballad, the 1970s.

And although Kang’s sound is more Muse and less Night Ranger (heck, the guy is only 19), there is something about his voice that would have been right at home with those other bands.

And that is the most important thing to recognize about Kang; his voice is something special–it can soar into the high falsetto range or linger with a full resonant sound in the lower register.

He has a sound that is completely his own.

Like the two singles he released on YG before “STEALER,” Kang is the most interesting thing about them.

Check out the music video for “STEALER” the third single singer Kang Seung Yoon’s has released on YG Entertainment RIGHT HERE

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