When most people think of the modern Korean music scene, they are often inclined to think of the R'n'b and pop ballad scenes which seem to dominate most of the audience. Very few people would think of punk as being a major part of Korean culture (albeit underground culture) let alone an all female punk band. Shorty Cat burst onto the scene in early 2007 with a sound that differed from their Korean contemporaries. With these unique aspects on their side, they quickly gained the attention of Skunk Label and have been growing in popularity ever since.
Their debut effort, I Ain't Be Controlled, launches in with I'm Never Crush, a mid-tempo punk song that is pretty representative of what the band is trying to do. Yoojung's vocals are, on first listening of the album, cute yet somehow threatening. The "hey ho, hey ho" chorus line is very reminiscent of some of the first New York punk bands that were emerging in the 70s.
The second track, Riot Girl, presumably a tribute to the femme punk bands of the 90s, doesn't completely fit with its title. Despite the language barrier, it's difficult to believe that the lyrics of the song are abrasive in any way as the tune is sweet and flows in a poppy way. Smart Boy and Hate Her prove this assumption wrong with lyrics such as "I dont care about you" and "Get out of my sight" featured alongside the happy sounding music and cutesy vocal work.
I'm Not Gonna Make It and its blood curdling screams is possibly the most commercial and instantly likeable songs on the album. The guitar riffs are simple yet catchy and wouldn't sound out of place on some modern pop-punk albums in the West. Needless to say, Yoojung's voice is the primary feature of the song, letting out banshee screams seemingly effortlessly.
Feminine continues the punk feel but is slightly more sophisticated in its sound. The sound is overall more laid back than other tracks on the album whilst managing to keep the feel of the band throughout. As the title of the track suggests, the theme of the song is femininity, yet it is hard to tell whether being feminine is being portrayed in a positive or negative light which only adds to the interest of the track as a whole.
As the album draws to a close, Wake Up, a two minute slice of energy, brings the album back to how it started. The song is very bass heavy in parts, which separates it from the rest of the album and gives Nayun a chance to shine. If the aim of the song was to wake people up then they undoubtedly succeeded as the song is pure energy and probably a live favourite.
At 4 minutes 19 seconds, Just Say Go is the longest song on the album but, sadly, it is probably the weakest of the tracks. It lacks the same power and enthusiasm that is prominent throughout the rest of the album and is easily forgettable, which is shame considering the quality of the previous tracks.
The final track, I can't do anything brings the album back to form and brings the album to a beautiful close. The song is typical of most acts in the punk scene, they might not be the best singers, they might not be the best musicians but they have something to say and are prepared to put the effort in to make it work. Yoojung's voice is at its cutest as she lists the things that she can't do, making the listener feel almost sorry for her despite how happy the song sounds if you don't pay attention to the lyrics.
The album is strong and gives a good impression of what the band is about. The album is remarkable for a debut and sounds as good as an album released by an established band. With music of this quality so early on, it's easy to see why Skunk Label too such an interest in them and why their popularity is growing with every concert they play, no matter how small.
