Time to catch up on the backlog of albums that I should have reviewed over the last few weeks. First one up is Monsta X’s The Code, which is their latest release. Their title track, Dramarama, has earned them their first win on a weekly music show a few days ago. On with the review.
2. Now or Never – Now or Never seems to be that track that fits nicely within typical song lineup that Monsta X usually puts out. It has that toughness and intensity that you would associate with the group. It is a pretty standard track for the most part but there were moments when I thought the track was ‘lit’. The bridge added a nice touch to the song as well. (8/10)
3. In Time – In Time is that compulsory ballad that I keep on mentioning. Mixed nicely with it, however, is some RnB, which makes the song feel a lot more emotional. The chimes were somewhat creepy at the start, but they felt like the perfect ending. Overall though, the track does seem like it can easily be forgotten. (7/10)
4. From Zero – The track taps into that tropical house genre that we see in every other release in KPOP at the moment. I love the contrast between the minimal verses to the upbeat chorus, which makes it extremely addictive to listen to. The drop is awesome and I think it is because of that minimal verse that makes the drop sound so much cooler than what it would have been if the verses were not stripped down. (9/10)
5. X – The hidden gem on this entire mini-album. X is everything you would want in a song. Everything felt perfect in the song. From the intensity to the vocals/raps, everything came together to form one damn good head-banging track. I would love to see this performed as the energy that comes off it is something you should not mess around with (10/10)
6. Tropical Night (열대야) – What I love about this song is that chorus. It doesn’t go in that direction that you expect to go from the verse. But it works and it sounds so much cooler than what I had intended. I.M and Jooheon deliver smashing rap sequences that felt just right for such a cool song. (9/10)
7. Deja Vu – Not part of my usual vocabulary, but the best to encapsulate the song is by saying ‘badass’. The chorus was jaw-dropping and like in the past few songs, the rappers were the main highlight. But that doesn’t say that the vocalists didn’t shine as well. Another stand-out track to end the album. Woo! (8/10)
SEVENTEEN is back with their brand new and second full-length album. And I am back with many albums to review, so let’s get cracking. The album, titled Teen, Age, from what I know, leads on from their Al1 comeback earlier in the year. Like previous reviews, I have opted not to write about the respective intro and outro that features on the album.
3. Without You – The performance of Without You felt like Don’t Wanna Cry 2.0, with many moves reminding of their previous title track. Song-wise though, Without You seems to be a whole different track. It is slower than most of their previous dance tracks. But what I like about this track is the melodies that we find during the chorus but also the balance between intensity, giving room for the Hip Hop unit to do their thing without being limited in any way. (8/10)
5. Bring It (Hoshi, Woozi) – If there was one word to describe Bring It, it would be epic. It touches on a more freakish EDM style, which you can hear in the chorus. The verses were still on point, building hype to the chorus. The combination of Hoshi and Woozi seems to be extremely dynamic in this song and would love to see further works between the two members. I would also love to see a stage performance of this as it would definitely be a standout. (9/10)
9. Flower (Dino, Jeonghan, S.Coups, Seungkwan, The8, Wonwoo) – Flower has a very alluring and striking instrumental which drew my attention from the very start. It has all the elements perfectly aligned with one another to ensure a top quality track. The raps of the song were amazing and the vocals, particularly the chorus, were on point throughout the entire track. (9.5/10)
10. Rocket (Joshua, Vernon) – The combination of autotune and upbeat instrumental seems to go hand-in-hand most of the time. But in this track, they seem to overload the track. Hence, I am not fond of the verses for the track but the more simplified chorus does attract my attention. (7/10)
11. Hello (DK, Jun, Mingyu) – Hello is a sweet confession song that aims to put a smile on listener’s faces. The bright atmosphere that the song gives off is quite strong, going nicely with the presence of DK and Jun. I do find Mingyu’s parts to be a little underwhelming and overshadowed by the vocalists in the song. But it is still a good song to listen to. (7/10)
12. Campfire – Campfire is the most underwhelming song on the entire album. Compared to the rest of the album, it falls short with its sound. It does give off a nice atmosphere and showcases a nice melody to complement the lyrics of the song. Just not my cup of tea. (6/10)
BTOB has returned with their second full-length album, Brother’s Act, which is based on the movie, Sister Act (starring Whoopi Goldberg). The album returns to the group’s ballad roots that earned them recognition for this vocal and rapping skills, which they previously displayed in their ballad trilogy. And given their performance so far on the charts, this return is much appreciated by fans. Please note that I will not be looking into the Prelude or the Interlude of this album.
3. My Lady – My Lady is one of my favourite tracks off the album. The instrumental is definitely my style of music, so I started liking the song before I started paying attention to the other elements. Vocally (for both the singers and rappers), the song is on point. There was a nice balance between the members and the soft pop instrumental. My favourite parts of the song were definitely the “Give It Up” lines at the start of the pre-chorus and when Peniel started singing his lines. Finally, some light on who I think is probably one of the underrated members of the group. (10/10)
4. Red Lie(새빨간 거짓말) – Red Lie is a track that literally begs their significant other to stop lying to them and just break up because there is nothing more between them. My assumption with the title is the Red Lie is referring the girl’s red lips. The instrumental is quite nice, with the guitar giving the track a little colour and avoiding the ‘typical’ ballad trap. I would like to see them perform this song, as well. The upbeat instrumental of the chorus makes me very curious about that accompanying dance that they could add in alongside the song. (9/10)
5. Blow Up (신바람) – You can always expect BTOB to throw something quirky in the mix. Their performances for Blow Up were amazing. It is exactly what I would have expected if their personalities off stage and their music clash. Blow Up is the party track that definitely gets the party started. It is also a nice change for the album, which places a great focus on ballads and softer forms of music. (9.5/10)
7. Na Na Na (나나나) – Catching me off guard with this song is the fabulous intro that Sungjae delivered through his vocals. His vocals are so fitting for this song. Nonetheless, the other members do a great job but the real winner has to be Sungjae in this song. The song is essentially that Autumn track that you would listen to while having a walk in the park. And it is also a great track to sway along to, especially with that consistent thumping and guitar strumming instrumental. (9/10)
8. Dream (꿈에) – While it is good music, Dream fits right in with that typical ‘ballad’ stereotype. It is the one track on the entire album that I thought they could have spruced it up a bit. Most likely they composed the song that way to mimic a lullaby, but to me, it is the weakest song on the album. That being said, the vocals do add an element of appeal to the song. It is the raps that I thought were a little awkward for the song. (6/10)
9. Guitar (Stroke Of Love) – For a song with the title “Guitar”, there isn’t that much guitar in it. Until I looked into the lyrics and realized that they weren’t really talking about the instrument. Instead, the lyrics a little suggestive. Okay, not a little. They were downright sexual and it was not a misunderstanding scenario. “I’ll hit that G precisely, We’ll be making sweet music tonight, Let your neighbours know your name right now”. But musically, it is a more upbeat track that gives you some relief from the ballads you have been exposed to. (8/10)
10. Running Into Breakup (이별을 만나다) – The song is about when the guy is accepting the fact that they can no longer be together. Running Into Breakup does feel a tad bland in my opinion. But what saves it is the rappers, who display a great example of how raps should be in ballads, along with the swaying element that you probably know I seek in ballads now. (7/10)
11. Fly Away – This particular track is definitely one of the more pleasing tracks on the entire album. There is some warmth that comes from the sounds of it. The contrast between the minimal verses to the explosion of sound you get for the chorus was definitely one of biggest highlights of the song. The only thing that I have to say (once again) that does take the appeal away from the song are those autotuned parts at the end of the choruses. (9/10)
12. Finale: Our Concert (Finale: 우리들의 콘서트) – The album ends off with another sweet pop ballad, written for this fans. And it is extremely fitting to end on a more happier note, rather another love story. All the members shine brightly in the song, with the feel of inclusion quite prominent in the song. I love the epic instrumental and that section where everyone is singing in the chorus. (10/10)
GOT7 is officially back with their latest mini-album, 7 for 7. While this is their latest release to date, I have plans (over my Summer holiday) to go back and review some of their past releases (like what I have already done with their Departure album). And this does not apply to just GOT7 but other artists as well!! But until then, here are my thoughts on GOT7’s 7 for 7.
7 For 7 Album Cover
1..Moon U – This particular song can be described a very smooth track, which is perfect for the start of the mini album. And while does sound great with its synth dominating instrumental and the clear vocals/raps, the song is relatively plain. It doesn’t progress much and it did make me yawn a few times. (7/10)
2. Teenager – I’ll admit it, Teenager is not my song style. But I actually think it is one of the few stronger songs on the track. It starts off with the same tempo and smoothness as Moon U but it quickly builds up at the pre-chorus. Once the beat drops for the chorus, a catchy hip-hop beat captured my attention. The vocal parts in the midst of the “You make me teenager” lines by the rappers are probably my most favourite parts of the song. (8/10)
4. Firework – Firework is a low-key hit in my books. Everyone sings. And hence it shows off a different side to the group, which has basically been dance and hip-hop centred in majority of their tracks. The sound effects within the song along with the instrumental give the song some momentum. Firework sounds like it should be a song that blows up (pun unintentional) when you listen to it but its subtle nature here makes it a standout instead. (9/10)
5. Remember You – The song centres between a subtle RnB track and a ballad. The vocals were quite good but those raps sounded so dreamy. The song doesn’t really capture my attention. It does feel dry and (once again) doesn’t seem to get far. There was a moment where the song does manage to catch me off guard (i.e. the sudden jumps in the bridge and before final chorus) but they didn’t continue with that surprise and went back to the boring side. (6/10)
6. To Me (내게) – This is where things start picking up, once again. The track could have done with a more interesting instrumental, to be honest. It felt very bland and colourless throughout the song. The vocals and the raps were pretty good, which in turn gave some colour to the song. But I don’t think there was enough to do the track justice. (6/10)
7. Face – They left the best song (besides the title track) to the very end. The song starts off slow but it was temporary. The song manages to launch itself into a strong chorus with a really catchy hook. Like the others, the song manages to show the vocal and rapping talents of the members. Jinyoung and Yugyeom managed to wow me with their vocals in the bridge. (9/10)
B1A4 has made their return with Rollin’, which is a shared title between the mini-album and title track. This is my review of their album, which I have been trying to post weekly. Things may get a little funky in the coming weeks, but I will put them out eventually. Now, let’s go on with B1A4’s release.
2. You Need Me (너는 내가 필요해) – The group continues their electronic sound with You Need Me. This, though, feels more like a B1A4 song and could have featured on their previous albums. The song;s instrumental is quite intense and gives the song that energetic side, which actually catches on quite quickly. The slowdown for the bridge does take away from that energetic feel, but the contrast was nice. This entire track is a standout on this album. (9/10)
3. Love Emotion – Now, for a much slower song. Love Emotion is more of a RnB track with a synth-based instrumental. Unlike the previous songs, Love Emotion doesn’t really yell out to me and it does get hidden within the rest of the album. To me, it would have done well if it followed a track like Sweet Girl. But here, it just doesn’t stand out. (7/10)
4. Smile Mask – The song features a rock style ballad with a strong pop influence. What makes the song more memorable was the instrumental, which has a few different quirks here and there that keeps the track engaging to listen to. The rough rap from Baro, along with the vocals, do give the track some colour as well. Not too keen on the bridge of the song but everything else was fantastic. (8/10)
5. Call Me (내게 전화해) – Another track that does seem to get forgotten in the midst of the other songs. The track has a more subtle instrumental, which does contribute to its underwhelming sound. And while the vocals/rap try to make up for that with its ear-catching deliver, it just wasn’t enough to get it over the line. (6/10)
6. Like A Child (아이처럼) – The mandatory ballad of all KPOP albums has been chosen to end the album. And while it does sound like I dread it, the track isn’t that bad. The song could have used a stronger chorus as there was practically no difference between the chorus and verses. But vocally, they manage to display their skills throughout the song. It was a very touching song to finish off the album (7/10)
BTS has already broken records in just a matter of hours after their comeback, so it only makes sense to have a closer look into their album. And I am not disappointed with Love Yourself: Her. I can definitely see why fans are really into the music, despite it being a changeup. Scroll down for the entire album review. Please note that for certain reasons, I have decided to leave out their skits once again, mainly because they wouldn’t be classified as music.
Love Yourself: Her Album Cover 1..Serendipity (Intro Track) – While the style of the track isn’t to my taste, Jimin (who is the only singer in this track) opens the album with a breath-taking song. His vocals are amazing in this song, with just the first few seconds branding a deep impression into your mind. It is a song that can be very sensual, given the lyrics and overall sound of it. (9/10)
3. Best Of Me – Following DNA is this track. Out of all the tracks on the album, my favourite vote goes to this one. It has a very Western feel to it and I think that is mainly attributed because this is a collaboration between BTS and The Chainsmokers, who happens to be one of my favourite Western artists at the moment. The beat drop is amazing and that “Haru Haru” part just before the drop just takes my breath away. The only word that can describe the instrumental, vocals and raps: perfect. (10/10)
4. Dimple (보조개) – This is probably another hidden gem of the album. The song only features Jimin, Jungkook, Jin and V. And they did a great job with compensating for the lack of rappers in this song. It gave a chance for us listeners to hear something more hearty and wholesome from the vocal line, which was clearly the intended highlight. I really like the instrumental for this track. (9/10)
5. Pied Piper – This is one track to groove to. You can tell that there is a hip-hop influence, but there was also a little bit of funk mixed into it, which made it very interesting (in a good way). It was easy to get lost in this track due to its great melody and rhythm. Both the vocals and the raps for this song were on point. It could have used some speed, but that may change up the song up a little too much. (8/10)
7. MIC Drop – The one track that was influenced by Barack Obama. That must be the first. I wasn’t much of a fan of the song at first but it grew on me. Quite a bit. It isn’t the first song I think of when I want to listen to the album, but who knows what a few more listens can do. The track itself is a hip-hop influenced but with an oriental/Middle Eastern twist to it, which makes it memorable. The rappers steal the show in this track (originally, I thought the vocalists were also in the song, but luckily I fact-checked myself) (8.5/10)
8. Go Go (고민보다 Go) – By now, you can tell that the album has a been given a huge dosage of hip-hop. Go Go continues on and it is another song that I don’t think of when it comes to the album but it wouldn’t mean I would shy away from this song. I saw the performance of the song, which attracted my attention to the song. The chorus was probably my favourite bit of the entire song as it sounds weird (in a good way) but very intriguing at the same time. (8/10)
9. Her (Outro Track) – The rappers take the reins and end the album (“officially”) with another hip-hop based song. The rappers did an amazing job (once again) but I personally think the highlight of this track is the instrumental. It is my style of jazzy music and the raps that lay on top goes really well with it. (8.5/10)
11. Sea (Hidden Track) – Sea is a very deep track. I praised many of the BTS solo tracks in their Wings album for their lyrics and deepness and this is the equivalent of this album. The vocals are beautiful, as usual, and the raps are equally as impactful. But despite the emotion-filled lyrics and vocals, the instrumental was quite calming and interlinked well with each other (9/10)
If you read or see my album reviews, you can kind of guess which artists I go to the most to write these posts. But don’t assume I listen to the albums of just those artists. I actually listen to many and in the future, hope I can make some time to write more than one per week to accommodate some of those other albums I listen to. This week’s pick is (as you can see above) is Pentagon’s latest mini album, Demo_01, which features the title track Like This. Overall, I was very impressed with every song on the release, which is why we are here today! So, let’s start.
2. It’s Over – I think this track can take two different routes. It can work as a ballad or a dance song. And both would have been equally interesting in terms of music video and performance as well. It’s Over manages to hit the right notes with the song’s components, like the clear and crisp vocals to the emotional powerful raps that they deliver. The standard instrumental is a little boring but combining it with the group’s vocal and rap style for this promotional round makes it a winner in my book. The melodies for this song is quite exceptional as well. (9/10)
3. Until Today (오늘까지만) – Until Today is a very artistic sounding dance track that delves back into the electronic style of music. I personally thought the chorus was very well done, especially with the tropical house influences for the instrumental breaks. You expect the track to build up somehow, but it remained relatively flat. However, that isn’t a major concern because it ended up quite consistent and addictive to listen to. (8.5/10)
4. Cool Rap (멋있게랩) – For those who have been visiting this site for some time, you may know that I am not that much of a fan of rap-based songs. Hence, why you don’t really see that much K-Hip Hop on this track. But this track is completely different. It features the 3 main rappers of the song only and it truly displays their skills and talents. Its instrumental was extremely captivating. And while I usually don’t describe songs as ‘lit’ that often, I think it is the most appropriate and hipster way to describe the song. (9/10)
5. When I Was In Love (설렘이라는건) – Another vocally satisfying track from the group and an amazing way to end the album. The RnB based song is probably the least interesting on the track in comparison to the songs that preceded it, but it is still a damn good song. The chorus was incredibly dreamy, almost. The start of the chorus felt like they were easing us into whatever was going to come next. The rappers also shined in the song, with their short but perfectly fitting sequence. (8/10)
This is the second album review for today, which hopefully covers last week’s missing album review. EXO is back with their repackaged album, The War: The Power of Music. I also vote this album for ‘cheesiest album title’ of the year. Anyway, I previously reviewed The War album and that will be linked in the post below. I will only be reviewing the new songs for the repackaged album. So let’s get this show on the road!
3. Sweet Lies – It is the odd one out for the entire album. And I am a little torn. A part of me finds the track very interesting. The RnB infused electronic style of sound isn’t something that you find often in KPOP. And it somewhat stands out. The vocals were great and the raps were just on point. But even after a few listens, the track isn’t memorable. I know I highlighted some elements that I liked about the song but that is only when I listen to the song with intent to write about it. Just listening to it with the rest of the album, on the other hand, means it gets swept under the shadows of the catchy Power and disappointing Ko Ko Bop. (7/10)
7. Boomerang – The track is more up my alley. But once again, it does fall short compared to others on the album. The synth-heavy RnB centered instrumental was standard but pretty nice. The vocals were good, bringing a rougher side out of some of the vocalists in my opinion. I am not a big fan of the ‘Hey Hey Hey‘, as they felt awkwardly placed. I don’t think there were any rap portions to the song, as Chanyeol opted for singing in the second verse and Sehun only ended up with 6 words (Tik Tak Boom). In my opinion, if the song had a stronger hook, I would have enjoyed it a little more. And think it would have complimented the other elements. (7/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8/10 (only songs reviewed in this post)
B.A.P has returned with a brand new single album, titled as Blue. The group made their comeback last week with Honeymoon (review linked below). I will be posting another album review later tonight, alongside this one, to make up for my absence last Monday. I just had a hand full of work to knock out. But this post is all about B.A.P, so let’s get going!
2. All The Way Up – This song has potential but it falls a little short. I love all the elements of the song. They have a bright and vibrant instrumental, which pairs well with their explosive vocals. Even the raps are amazing. But what the song needed was some bass. And that is where it falls a little short. If there was some bass, it would have made the song feel more suited for a party and even more uplifting. (8/10)
3. Rewind – Rewind takes another direction from the two songs before it (and the ongoing trends within the industry) with a jazzier and slower paced song. Its slower pace is its main charm and I loved how Zelo and Bang Yong Guk rapped to the song. The vocal work is (per usual) superb. Personally, it isn’t my preference but they did an undeniably good job with the song. (8/10)
I have been dying to review this album and the time has finally come. I have to be extremely selective with the albums that I review as I don’t have time to write many reviews. But as soon as I heard this one, I just had to put it on the list. Taeyang is a chart topper with his previous songs and while his performance this time around has been underwhelming, he still manages to hit it out of the park with the awesome album (just repeating if you haven’t got that key detail).
White Night Album Cover
1..White Night – It is such a pity that this is just an intro. I would love for an extended version of White Night. While I am not that fond of the choppy instrumental, there is something about it that manages to compliment Taeyang’s vocals. The buildup just gets you hyped and I love the “I Just Wanna… Hold… You.. Close!” line which gives so much suspense in just a matter of a second. (10/10)
4. Ride – To me, Ride is your standard RnB track, with a more upbeat feel. It feels nostalgic for some reason with its sound and the way the song faded to silence at the end. It is not the most dynamic track on the album but it doesn’t lack in any areas. I can picture an amazing performance for this song, which you probably bring us all down memory lane to his Wedding Dress days. (9/10)
5. Amazing – Down right the best song on the entire album. It is a song that you just want to get up and just move your body to. It is extremely catchy with the “Amazing Amazing Amazing” hook in the song. I’ll admit that it isn’t musically ground-breaking, but the song hits me in all the right place and makes me feel ‘Amazing’. (10/10)
6. Empty Road (텅빈도로) – If you want a vocally centered track, Empty Road is the way to go. To me, I love his vocals here, more than in Darling. For the majority of the track, Taeyang’s vocals pair well with the soft rock sound of the track. It initially didn’t attract my attention, but I was dealt a blow once he started increasing the intensity with his vocals towards the end of the song. The start actually felt like an Ed Sheeran song, while the ending felt like a KPOP song. (9/10)
7. Naked – Probably the most understandable song to get banned in South Korea at the moment. Just by listening to the song, it seems like Taeyang is conveying a not so subtle message. But jokes aside, the song is quite nice. I love the instrumental of track, which has an interesting mix of synths. I love the dynamic vibes of the chorus but the verse felt a little plain and sluggish for my tastes (8.5/10)
8. Tonight(오늘밤) ft. Zico – This is probably the most interesting track on the entire album. The way Taeyang sings this song gives off an interesting and compelling atmosphere. There is something with the deep brass sound and drum mix for the chorus that gives off an epic feel. Zico gives off a nice contrast with that piano instrumental and faster-paced delivery. But most importantly, the rock dominate ending was the probably an unexpected but worthwhile way to end the song. (10/10)
The biggest group in the industry is no doubt Wanna One. Their debut completely smashed the charts. Digital or physical (albums) charts were completely dominated by Wanna One, who even managed to knock down a very legendary group of KPOP. Their debut mini-album, titled as 1×1=1 (To Be One) is just the start of their journey for the next year and a bit. At first, I wasn’t sure whether I would be reviewing their mini-album, but given their performance in just the first two weeks of their careers, it would be rather disappointing to not look at them even further.
1×1=1 (To Be One) Album Cover
1..To Be One (Intro) – Despite it being very short, it does grab your attention from the get-go. It was a powerful piece of music that does what it was intended to do. The drop was a little unexpected but gave the track a very interesting side. Though I don’t tend to include the intros into the rating, I happy to, as this scores quite high in my books. (9/10)
2. Burn It Up (활할) – If you want to get the full experience with Burn It Up, I recommend listening to the performances. The fans (for some odd reason) give it a hyped feel, which I think suited the song quite nicely. Just listening to the audio, I could feel the song needed bass. However, the performances have so much that is makes the song sound so great. Burn It Up is extremely catchy and intense from the get go. All the elements work extremely well, from the rap to the vocals. (8/10)
4. Wanna Be (My Baby) – If the title track was there, this could easily have been the title track. I actually thought this song nudged ahead and was the best song on the entire album. The combination of the raps, vocals and instrumental felt more dynamic in the song. It was definitely a ‘loud track’ that didn’t hold back and I actually liked that. Despite that, the bridge managed to slow down for a few seconds, which gave the listeners much-needed relief from the intensity that they already felt and what was to come for the rest of the song. (10/10)
5. Always (이 자리에) – If I am not mistaken, Always was the song that all the trainees performed in the finale as a reflective piece for their time on the show and a way of saying thanks to all the viewers. To me, it was a bitter-sweet end to the album. Wanna One does a great job of carrying that same level of emotion that was felt in the finale through this song. It is a beautiful ballad, which evens out the intensity that the rest of the songs contributed to. But listening to the song reminds me of the other trainees who could have made it into Wanna One and that makes me sad. (9/10)
SNSD or Girl’s Generation wrapped up their promotions for Holiday and All Night yesterday. But their 10 year anniversary celebrations aren’t over yet!! I haven’t done my album review yet!! (hehehehe…). I wrote the comments for each song before this introduction, so there is something that I observed. I mentioned it down below but the vocals in this album are flawless. I am amazed because this is the first time where I loved 99% of the vocal work. To find out about what else I like, read down below (Another long review, I apologise).
Holiday Night Album Cover
1..Girls Are Back – It actually has been a while since SNSD brought the girls out. So their first song was appropriately named in a way that exclaimed there were back. And the track did just that. Not once letting you down, the funky dance track lets you know the girls are still sticking around. I love the chorus, which gives it a dynamic and groovy feel. The vocal work here is also phenomenal! (10/10)
4. Fan – Fan is an upbeat track that reminds me of the KPOP in the 90s, almost like a Shinhwa track from that era. There is a level of intensity that makes this an unforgettable song. That being said, there was a part of the verse that I felt was too soft for the rest of the song. But everything else in the song was spot on. From the vocals to the instrumental, everything felt just right. Taeyeon’s ad-lib at the end was amazing. (9.5/10)
5. Only One – It’s the ballad that you just can’t help by swaying along to the music. There is a part of me that thinks this is a solid song, while the other part of me feels that the song is somewhat disjointed. If you listen carefully, the instrumental tends to change around a bit which makes it sound a little odd. Once again, the vocals are on point. If this somehow sounded sweeter, I think I would dig this track more. (8/10)
6. One Last Time – Out of the all the songs on the album, excluding the title tracks, this is my most favourite. There is an emotional side to the song, which you feel very strongly as you listen to the song. They don’t really hold back on the sadness. More over, their vocals are highlighted nicely with the melodies and the ballad instrumental. I can’t find any flaws in this song. It is genuinely my pick for a perfect song. Understanding the lyrics of the song does make me a little sad, as it would be perfect as a disbandment song. But I won’t go there. (10/10)
7. Sweet Talk – Right off the bat, it sounds like a song that Ariana Grande or some other Western pop star would have put out. And it would have been a direct hit as soon as it was released. The vocals are amazing but the raps could have been given more boldness and backing. They felt weak in comparison to the rest of the song, which was disappointing. I like it but if the raps were stronger, I would have loved it some more. (8/10)
8. Love Is Bitter – There is a nice Broadway sound to the song, which gives it some character. The title makes it sound like a cheesy ballad, but instead, we get something a little bolder. What I liked is how they gave the start of the chorus to the people who usually get the least amount of lines in the song (Hyoyeon and Yuri), giving the girls a chance to show off what they got. Of course, they do a splendid job and remind us of their hidden talents that should get the stage spotlight all the time as well! (9/10)
9. It’s You (오랜 소원) – It’s You is a song written by Yuri for the fans who have stood by their side for the last 10 years. It is a decent song that I am sure all SONEs around the world would love. Personally, it doesn’t suit my tastes but the song’s meaning is clearly touching. I felt like it could have better melodies or some sort of deeper backing vocals to give it some foundation. But overall, it is still a good song. (8/10)
10. Light Up The Sky – What a way to end off the album. The song seems to be directed to a particular someone who used to be by the side of the 8 girls for the last 10 years. As a fan, that does hit home quite strongly. Once again, the vocals are amazing. Each member has clearly poured themselves into the song, which is why I think this is also a remarkable song. The chorus of this ballad has a catchy sound to it, with the way it is presented. I keep on coming back for more and so should you! (10/10)
It has been 5 years since we last saw them. But finally, JJ Project has launched their comeback with their first mini-album. Of course, being a fan, I would not miss out on this opportunity to review their mini-album, which is titled as Verse #2. Just one comment about the album before we start. But every single track, regardless of any differences, end up making this one damn good albumt to listen to. Everything works well with each other and it did not leave me disappointed. Now, on with the review of each song!
Verse #2 Album Cover
1..Coming Home – The album opens up with an aesthetically pleasing and RnB influenced song. I love the instrumental of this song, from the rolling drum beat to the very chilled chorus. I also loved the layering in the song. The different layers of vocals in this song, which gave the song some depth, which I thought was pretty nice. Just when you consider the entire track as a whole piece, it does come off a little dry. (9/10)
3. On & On – On & On feels like another song that fits the tropical house trend that is ongoing in the industry. But the verses/chorus felt a lot more serious and more RnB influence. It wasn’t until the instrumental chorus break that it took that trend on board. What was more interesting was how they changed up the ending. Their efforts felt a little late and that ending personally could have been omitted. But it was still nice to listen to. (8/10)
4. Icarus – The best part of the track was definitely its chorus. The energy explosion once the beat dropped made it feel so much more lively, compared to the extremely boring verses. Their vocals managed to just appear in front of the instrumental and provided an attraction to make me go back for even more. It could have easily been hidden behind in the instrumental. (9/10)
5. Don’t Wanna Know – This was my personal favourite of the entire album. Their vocals suit the RnB genre and this song gives their vocals the right amount of spotlight without going overboard. The instrumental also gave the song some energy, which made it one for me to go back for. The ending could have faded out, rather than feel abrupt, but overall, the song was too good to overlook, in my opinion. (9.5/10)
6. Find You – Like the previous song, I thought the vocals from both Jinyoung and JB were showcased to be the highlight of the song. It was upbeat and felt like an urban track that I wouldn’t mind listening to from time to time. But I fear listening to this song on repeat could leave the track feeling bland and boring in the long run. The instrumental was decent but pretty standard. (8/10)
7. The Day (Jinyoung Solo) – This could easily be played on repeat in a small, indie cafe somewhere. Jinyoung has nice vocals, but they aren’t the best compared to other people in his group. But what we hear here is a great display of his talents and skill. I like how he kept the instrumental from becoming too boring, by adding and taking out instruments. It has a nice RnB sound, which goes nicely with every other track on this album. (9/10)
8. Fade Away (JB Solo) – Musically, JB’s track starts off with an ear-catching sound, which draws my attention. But sadly the interesting vibes from it faded out quick;y and the track felt like it was repeating itself. JB’s husky vocals made this song sound pretty good. The instrumental had a nice creepy vibe, which when I think about it now, doesn’t sound like that should have been the intended effect. (8/10)
My vote for best album of 2016 went to Wings, BTS’s second studio album. Hence, today I decided to take some time to look back on their award-worthy album. However, as the album was re-released with new songs in 2017, I have decided to combine the two albums and make one long album review for it. The Wings album was dropped on October 10th of 2016. It was then re-released as You Never Walk Alone on 13th of February 2017. Please note that this is a very long review and that I apologise for that.
Wings Album Cover
1..Intro: Boy Meets Evil – J-Hope opens the entire album with Boy Meets Evil. And while it is just an intro track, it deserves to be an entire song on its own. J-Hope does not hold back, throwing his lines out at us in a manner that makes it sound so dark and intense. That intensity matches the string/dubstep instrumental of the track. The lyrics themselves are quite deep. (9/10)
3. Begin (Jungkook Solo) – While Jungkook does seem to go down the ballad route, he manages to add synths and elements that could potentially make it into a dance song. The lyrics are definitely something to look at here, as he references the members whom he basically grew up with. The track is amazing but there is just one minor detail. It seemed a little repetitive. It kept to itself, which was good, but I was expecting some change up to make it more interesting to my ears. (9/10)
4. Lie (Jimin Solo) – That classical orchestra instrumental. It gives the track a very grand and epic feel. I love the twist and turns that this track provide. Everything felt so mysterious and dark through the verses, but the chorus caught me off guard because it went higher than what we have heard. Jimin’s vocals have always shined throughout BTS releases, but it managed to shine brighter here. Good enough that I give it a (10/10).
5. Stigma (V Solo) – Out of all the BTS members, I always thought that V’s vocals were the most interesting out of all the members. And this song proves just that. His raspy vocals and higher tones just blow you away. The slow jazz based instrumental is quite good. But if you ever get the chance, try looking into the English translation for this song. Following the other tracks, this one is equally as deep, dark and mysterious. (10/10)
6. First Love (Suga Solo) – I am not really into songs that are mainly based around raps. But there is always something about Suga’s songs that catch me off guard. The instrumental is relatively quiet at the start but his voice adds the dynamic side to the song. As the song progresses, the instrumental build up into a grand orchestral piece, which I thought was spectacular. Listening to it by itself, you can hear the emotions. But once you look up the lyrics, you can tell the level of emotion that was put into the song. (10/10)
7. Reflection (Rap Monster Solo) – The instrumental of this song is 100% eerie and I love that. It slowly becomes a nice instrumental that is calming and soothing. However, it was still powerful enough to fit Rap Monster’s delivery of his lyrics, while maintaining that calmness. Once again, the lyrics leave a huge impression on you. Just try searching up the translations for these songs and you will be blown away. The just felt very neutral throughout and after listening to Suga’s solo, it needed some sort of buildup to keep me there. (9/10)
8. Mama (J-Hope Solo) – Unlike the previous songs, which went down the emotional route, J-Hope takes a different direction with a more upbeat and happier sound. That being said, the same level of emotions are present, just delivered in a different manner. It was super easy to get into the groove of this song and it was really catchy. He writes about his mum in the song, which made it extremely touching. His voice sounds so good and it shows a softer side, compared to his powerful and strong raps that we hear often in BTS title tracks. (10/10)
9. Awake (Jin Solo) – The most underrated member (vocally, that is) finally get justice by having his own solo track. That is a celebration in itself. This song just proves that the group needs to use his vocals more. Here it is so dreamy and so damn amazing. The melody of the song is the type that I really enjoy. That is, the type that gets you swaying along to it. He also appeals to my taste of violins and classical type instrumentals, which I love. Combine them together and you got a winning combination. (10/10)
10. Lost – This is a song that features the vocal line of BTS (Jungkook, Jin, Jimin & V). Given their vocals in the solo songs that featured before this track on the album, it was a given that they would sound amazing. And they did. The song delivers a burst of energy, that was needed after listening to the slow, ballad-like tracks. It was a song that was easy to get into and the second half of the chorus (the ‘lost my way, way, way~’) was super duper catchy. (9/10)
11. BTS Cypher Pt. 4 – I am quite sure this is meant to follow on from the rest of the Cypher tracks in which BTS releases on their albums. I don’t really listen to them, so I am not going to include this track in the final album rating score. But if you want to hear a hip-hop centred track from the 3 rappers of BTS, do check this one out. It is pretty good from first glance.
12. Am I Wrong – My most favourite track off the entire album. And no, it is not wrong to fall for this song. I first heard it watching it on stage at one of the weekly music shows. While the rest of the album was serious and on the emotional side of things, it was nice to hear a few lighthearted and fun sounding songs to lighten up the mood. The raps and vocals in this song are pretty good as well. And most importantly, it is really catchy, which makes me go back for more. (10/10)
13. 21st Century Girls – All you ladies put your hands up! I personally thought the song was quite good. It wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, though. The song itself provided empowerment for the female listeners, hence may be the reason why I am not into the song as much. But the rapping here was good and the vocal work was amazing. I feel a little rude to describe the song this way, but it had a carefree feel to it, while also maintaining a level of seriousness. (8/10)
14. Two! Three! (Still Wishing There Will Be Better Days) – From what I am reading, this particular track is a song for their fans. And it one pretty good song. Just the lyrics alone already pack a punch with their meaning. The rapping fitted the more mellow song, while the vocals contributed to the sweeter melodies during the chorus. What makes the song even better is that it ends with all the members singing to the chorus, making it a worthwhile song for anyone who identifies as an Army. (10/10)
15 & 18. Outro: Wings – This track is the Interlude on the Wings album but an extended version is present on the You Never Walk Alone album. And it too is a damn good track. It ends both albums on such an upbeat and fun-sounding note. The instrumental is striking and BTS sounds amazing. (10/10)
19. Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone – We have reached the final song on this review. And they managed to finish off the album with one fantastic song. Suga and J-Hope sang in the song, which caught me off guard. What I loved about the track was the “Walk, Walk…Walk, Like it, like that” part which the vocalists each sing. It was super catchy and gave the song a nice pop vibe, which I totally dig from time to time. (9/10)
Overall Album Rating – 9/10
You Never Walk Alone Teaser Image (Source: ALLKPOP)
KARD has returned with their debut mini album. While they have been around for over 6 months now, the group didn’t make their official debut until last week, with Hola Hola. All the singles they have released before hand are also featured on the mini-album. To be honest, this album review should have been completed earlier. But due to a lovely thing called procrastination, I have been putting it off. But here it is, a week after their debut!
Please also note that starting 31st of July, I will be posting 1 album review each week on Monday.
5. I Won’t Stop (나는 멈추지 않는다) – While I did expect some of KARD’s other tracks on the album to be EDM based, I did not expect that slow start. That provided a nice contrast between the two styles. The dubstep (?) chorus is really intense and while I thought the drop could have been a bit better, it did sneak up on me. But minus the chorus or the instrumental, the rest of the song didn’t seem memorable, which is a pity, given their previous tracks. (7/10)
6. Living Good (Special Thanks To) – I am not a big fan of hip-hop (can you say it is hip-hop, I am not sure) but I can’t help but get into the groove for the first part of the song. While it is a fan-service song, it is a little different, in the sense that the sound is a lot lighter, compared to the songs above in the album. The second part is a recording from a concert or something, which I thought was an interesting way to present a fan-song. (8/10)
A few days ago, EXO made their highly anticipated comeback with Ko Ko Bop. I did make a sneaky post in the comment section, saying I would make an album review for EXO’s 4th studio album, The War. So here it is.
But before we delve into the album review, I just want to take this moment to notify you all that album reviews will be released on a weekly basis every Monday starting on the 31st of July. This is so I can keep track of things and not go overboard with the number of album reviews as I did in the past few weeks! Now, onto the review.
The War Album Cover
1..The Eve (전야) – The album opens up with one killer track. As soon as the song plays, you are attacked with amazing vocals from the members. The slowness of the track was also another interesting aspect. While I don’t the track changed much, you could feel the build up through the instrumental, which creates a tense atmosphere, which ended bringing their vocals/raps into the spotlight. (9/10)
3. What U Do? – This is my personal favourite of the entire album. Like the first track, the vocals of the members are put into the spotlight. I love the dynamics of the track, which made me want to get up and dance. The chorus was super catchy and has the ‘What U Do‘ (which all the members participate in) ringing in my head after the song finishes up. (9/10)
4. Forever – This track could have received the same comments as What U Do and The Eve. But I wasn’t impressed with the introduction. It was intriguing but it didn’t feel like it leads well into the rest of the track, which turned into one epic song, which could have rivalled the two songs mentioned. Once again, the vocals are on point, but I thought the first half of Chanyeol’s raps could have been better. The raspiness and speed during the second half were felt needed in the first half. (8/10)
5. Diamond(다이아몬드) – A part of me wants to like the track. It has an interesting yet strong beat. The instrumental has a Middle Eastern influence, which you should know, usually ticks the box for me. However, I didn’t like how the rappers kept on adding small parts throughout the song. To me, it gets annoying after a while and just feels likes a ‘remember me’ technique. It also wasn’t a memorable song, compared to the predecessors in this album. (7/10)
6. Touch It (너의 손짓) – And like Diamond, this song wasn’t that memorable. Instead, it seemed to have gotten lost in the mix of good and disappointing songs. Which was a pity because when it is by itself, I got a good sense of its groovy and funk vibes. The vocal work and rapping were pretty good. I love the ‘na na na‘ at the end of each chorus. It was the catchiest part of the entire track and the accompanying female background vocals suited the groovy vibe, so nicely. (7.5/10)
7. Chill (소름) – Chill is a chaotic mess and I say that in a bad way. To me, it felt like all the aspects you could ask for just did not work well together. The instrumental felt like one mess, with all the different elements not coming together well. Furthermore, there was an odd mix of styles, which didn’t sound ear-catching to me. The same could be said about the raps and vocals. Overall, not a song that I would want to revisit. (4/10)
8. Walk On Memories (기억을 걷는 밤) – This is one amazing song. The melodies in this song are definitely one to die for. The vocals in this song are just blissful, where all the members are singing. The harmonies as well. Even the instrumental was beautiful. The aesthetics of the song is on another level and it just leaves me breathless and speechless. (10/10)
9. Going Crazy (내가 미쳐) – Two things caught me by surprise with this track. Firstly, the sudden breakdown. It was unexpected but I felt it went with the rest of the song nicely (unlike in other tracks). It did give the track a more ‘out-there’ feel, which I guess is the ‘crazy’ side of the track. The second thing was that sudden high note at the end of the song. And everything else in between sounded like a really good. It is safe to say that the album ends on a good note. (9/10)
KPOPREVIEWED 