Red Velvet is the next group up for an album review over this Easter long weekend. In November 2022, the group returned the next installment of The ReVe Festival 2022 series, The ReVe Festival 2022 – Birthday. The new mini-album release features the title track Birthday and four additional side tracks. The Birthday era follows the release of Feel My Rhythm and The ReVe Festival 2022 – Feel My Rhythm, which was released back in March 2022. Again, this new mini-album is a great addition to Red Velvet’s discography and has a number of standout tracks on the mini-album, which I highly recommend you listen to. To find out which ones in particular, continue on reading my album review.
1. Birthday (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Birthday. (7/10)
2. BYE BYE – BYE BYE is without a doubt one of the strongest standouts on this mini-album. It is a R&B single, but the instrumental elements (in the form of groovy bass and a heavy beat) give it boldness which attracts attention. I know it attracted mine! The vocals are equally as good, with Wendy’s vocals in the second verse getting a massive thumbs up from me. The harmonies are to die for. There is also something very intriguing by the dragged-out delivery of the song’s title in the chorus to fit in with the infamous Für Elise melody. BYE BYE definitely is a cool listen. (10/10)
3. On A Ride (롤러코스터) – On A Ride plays into the group’s Red side with such a playful and fun instrumental. It is definitely a strong point of On A Ride. Again, solid vocals from the group. These vocals do help ground the song in my opinion, preventing the song from spiraling out of control from its instrumental. I did wish the vocal hooks were a little more impactful and memorable, just to take On A Ride to the next level. (8/10)
4. ZOOM – Red Velvet putting ZOOM on this mini-album tells me they are all about business. ZOOM is such a dramatic and memorable song. I remember falling for the song the first time listening to it, and I have enjoyed every time I have listened to the song since then. It tackles R&B, but with a very trendy groovy instrumental. ZOOM has the best showcase of the group’s vocals. I like how they play with high and low tones in the song. The prolific and plentiful hooks are also undeniably catchy. There is a lot to like in ZOOM! (10/10)
5. Celebrate – When I listen to the song and read the lyrics to Celebrate, I feel like the mini-album has come full-circle. Celebrate is a warm and inviting R&B song. Just like everywhere else on this mini-album, Red Velvet’s vocals were so strong here, especially when it came to the harmonies. The melodies were quite dreamy and flowy. The instrumentation was soft, allowing the vocals to do most of the speaking. (8/10)
My thoughts on this album are a little more negative than yours. To me, Red Velvet sound great here, but their producers confused, not knowing what to do with their extreme talents.
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That’s fair. However, I do feel like your comment could be more applicable as a broader statement for the current state of releases from Red Velvet. Ever since they renewed their contracts with SM Entertainment, the producers haven’t really given the group anything ‘strong’ or anything that screams ‘Red Velvet’ pre-contract renewals. I personally feel like the appeal of their title tracks have fizzled out. I am glad they are still putting out strong side tracks (which has always been the hallmark of their discography), but at the trajectory they are going with their title tracks, the future of their side tracks are looking bleak. Hopefully, things will turn around soon for the group.
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