K-popster a boy among men
Like his Japanese forerunner Ken Hirai, Korean heart-throb K has released an album of English-language favourites.
But unlike Hirai who focused on easy listening classics, the young star has picked songs originally performed by big voices. Regrettably, he just can't compete.
K has a sweet, innocent voice. This makes him sound like a boy rather than the men he's emulating.
A selection of R'n'B, rock and pop classics, the album is never unpleasant. K is clearly proud of his progress in his English lessons, but his heavy accent can make it difficult to understand the lyrics.
The best track is his version of Aerosmith's Angel. K makes the song his own, and he is accompanied by traditional soft rock guitars, simple beats and gentle strings which enhance, rather than overpower, his vocals.
The low point is a toss-up between the awkward dance interpretation of Eric Clapton's classic Layla, One Last Cry - the original was a hit because of Brian McKnight's deliciously syrupy voice - or Bridge Over Troubled Water, in which all of K's inadequacies are highlighted by his duet partner Peabo Bryson.
A brave attempt, but K should stick to saccharine J- and K-pop.
