The first major comeback of 2019 is Ryeowook’s long-awaited solo comeback, I’m Not Over You. This is his first release since his departure from his military enlistment and The Little Prince comeback back in 2016. He also rejoined Super Junior for the One More Time promotions in October of 2018. His solo comeback was supposed to be back in December of last year (with teasers released) but was delayed last minute until today due to health concerns. Hopefully, Ryeowook has fully recovered and is able to showcase his vocals and music releases this year.
Following The Little Prince, I’m Not Over You takes the ballad route. It is a nice ballad with soothing piano instrumentation. There was also some orchestra in the instrumental. It was very lightly featured during the start of the song. Almost inaudible because the piano was the main instrument heard. It builds up gradually as the song progresses, going for a climatic and epic peak during the bridge of the song. This drew my attention to the song as it added energy and a very attention-grabbing period of music to the slow ballad. It slows down for a moment afterwards but climaxes once again during the final chorus. Besides the instrumental, we need to discuss Ryeowook’s vocals which were superb. His vocals were perfect for the ballad with the title ‘I’m Not Over You‘ being the one line that just I anticipate every time I listen to the song. That falsetto during the bridge was definitely another highlight to the song and showcases his skills in a jaw-dropping manner.
I think the video was pretty good. The scenes we saw throughout the video simply showed the main story. That was, Ryeowook is searching for his lover using the many satellite dishes and tracking computers that he has in his room. But while that seems to be a tad too technological for a ballad, that isn’t the case whatsoever. Ryeowook was shown singing in these sets, reminding us that the song is the main attraction and that the video was a simple aid in helping us understand the music video.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
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The final review of the year comes in the form of an album review. Lee Changsub made his solo debut a few weeks back with Gone and listening to his debut mini-album (Mark), I knew I had to write an album review for it. And I will be straightforward with you, I love all the songs on the album. All the songs delve into the rock ballad side of music, which I really like. His album reminds me Kim Sung Gyu’s (from Infinite) work. But we are here for Lee Changsub and Mark.
Mark Album Cover
1..Way – Starting off this album is Way, which is a soft rock ballad type song which actually got me interested in the album in the first place. This personally my style of songs that I tend to seek for in Western music. The best way to describe Way is that it is pleasant, perfect for a day that you want to just relax and chill. Changsub’s vocals are breezy and float on top of the music, which adds to that pleasant feeling that I have touched upon. It also has a very nice melody and hook, which has me coming back for more. (9/10)
2. Space – Space is similar to Way. However, it kicks it up a notch by adding more of that rock element into the song, which definitely adds character and substance to the song. I also enjoyed Changsub’s vocals in the song, which also kicked the song up to an even higher notch. To me, his vocals were versatile in the song, showing slowness when required and the ability to enter into high notes to give the song that needed climax. Overall, another amazing song from the soloist. (9/10)
3. Shelter – Departing from the ballad side of his music, Changsub opted for a rock song mixed with pop elements, which I thought was nice. It is a break from the rock ballad side, which was needed (or else the album would have been too heavy). Once again, Changsub’s vocals were spectacular. His ad-libs were extremely powerful, and I liked how he used them to extend the finale of the song, which I don’t mind because those ad-libs kept on adding to the song (rather than making lengthening it to drag out the time, which would have been unnecessary). (10/10)
4. Ever – All the songs on his album remind me of At The End. But I think Ever comes the closest to his previous solo single. Firstly, I enjoyed how husky his vocals were. But not only that, however, as the way he built up his vocals for the chorus was a winning component of the song. The instrumental was like any other on the album, so there really isn’t much to discuss Though, I thought an electric guitar solo would have added a nice touch and intensity to the song. I really like ‘Whenever… Wherever… Whatever…’ background vocals as well. (9/10)
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We all thought wrong when we all thought that We Go Up was the final release before Mark’s graduation from NCT Dream. Yesterday, NCT Dream released an SM Station single titled Candle Light. But since Mark’s graduation has been confirmed the for the 31st of December, Mark is still present in the unit group for the new song release. The video does still allude to the impending event but that is something to talk about later on in the review.
Candle Light is best described as a mid-tempo ballad that conveys the message of wishing to be with someone. The song has this bright yet warming atmosphere to it, which can be attributed to the instrumental of the song. And hence, the message felt well suited for the style the song went with. The song is also a departure from their usual releases, which is more vocally centred this time around. This highlights the vocals of all the members, which isn’t something that we have experienced before. There was some rapping, which I thought was extremely fitting for the song. It is a solid song but it lacks memorability, in my opinion. If they nailed that, it would have been a perfect song. But Candle Light is still pleasant sounding and definitely a nice way to end the year of KPOP.
The music video was very well done. The members are directing a music video in this music video. We see then struggle with a whole bunch of bloopers and technical issues. In the end, we are shown the ‘final product’, which featured all the members excluding Mark, alluding to his upcoming graduation in the coming days. The way he presents his rap, with all the members sitting in front of him (and one seat vacant) really hits home that this is happening. The video also seemed to be incorporate elements from NCT Dream’s previous releases including chewing gum (from Chewing Gum), mini cars (from My First & Last) and the word ‘Go’ (from Go). Definitely, a nice way to signal the end of a chapter for the unit.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
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UP10TION recently returned with their new single, Blue Rose, which was featured on the group’s 7th mini-album, Laberinto. Something that I have noticed with the UP10TION releases this year is that they tend to be of the pop nature (excluding their title tracks). And while the group’s pop songs tend to be standard, their latest album contains a few good tracks that I quite liked. Hence, why today’s album review is for UP10TION! Their album contains 7 tracks in total (with one intro that I have not included, as usual).
3. Burning – Burning started off as a standard pop song. The first verse was quite plain and ordinary. However, the chorus added some funk and colour to the song, giving it a very interesting and satisfying appeal to the song. And from then on, the song felt lively, which is rather odd as I think they used the same instrumental for the two verses. The vocal work was nice, especially that refined note at the end of the bridge (that leads into the final chorus). I liked the rapping in the song, which really fitted in well without causing any issues to the flow of the song. (8/10)
4. Turn Up The Night – I thought Turn Up The Night was a decent track but I am not a fan of the repetitive chorus that they opted with. By the end of the song, I got bored with the song’s main hook. I think it is the other elements that made me like the song. The use of brass throughout the song was nice and gave the song a fun energy. The vocal work gave the song that explosiveness that added to that energetic vibe and the rapping gave the song the much-needed edge that rapping usually gives to songs. (8/10)
5. Midnight – Midnight has a softer tone that leads nicely from the preceding song. It starts off as a standard pop song but it slowly builds up into a sweet yet refreshing sound. Despite that, the song does maintain that level of energy that allows it to have an accompanying choreography, which matches the UP10TION style that I associate with them. Once again, the instrumental was a pop song but it too incorporated some brass. (7/10)
6. Happy Birthday – No, this isn’t a copy of the infamous song we all sing to celebrate someone’s birthday. Instead, it just another standard pop song on this album. I have to say that the song was a little underwhelming, particularly around the drop to the chorus, which could have given the song a more dynamic vibe. Instead, it stays safe and it fails to really liven up the song. I think this is the weakest song on the album. Nothing really appeals to me and I am not blown away with the final product. (6/10)
7. With You – With You is the closest song on the album that you can get to that mandatory ballad. It is still upbeat and takes on that pop route which doesn’t really make it feel unique or special. It does focus on the vocals of the members, which I think isn’t something we get all too often when it comes to UP10TION. There was some rapping and I thought those sections were appropriate for it. I also find the song somewhat fitting for the festive season, as there is a certain level of warmth to the song. (8/10)
TVXQ made their comeback today with Truth. The release and the mini-album, Chapter #2: The Truth of Love, is extra special as it celebrates the duo’s 15th year anniversary. It was actually 15 years ago this day that the group (a quintet) debuted with their single, Hugs. And while the group has a had many highs (including very well-known tracks and choreographies), they also had some lows. But the duo remained strong throughout its 15 years and hence why they are able to still release songs today. Here is to more releases in the future!
Truth is a jazzy R&B mix, which I think was quite pleasant overall. There weren’t any hard-hitting moments which I tend to think is great every now and then when it comes to an industry heavily reliant on dance and electronic music. It provides relief if you know what I am trying to get at. The vocals in this song are quite good. Both opted for some falsetto for some parts of the song, which I really thought was nice given the jazzy influence the song had. But it also matched the R&B side as well. I really like the kick the ad-libs towards the end of the song gave the final moments of the song, which prevented the song from becoming too repetitive. It does lack a promising hook and doesn’t hold my attention for long. But apart from that, it is a good song.
The music video I thought was okay. Not really the most captivating video I have ever watched. The quality was definitely there but the content wasn’t that compelling compared to their previous comeback earlier this year (The Chance of Love). The start of the video gave action-movie vibes that I thought was promising. But they went in a completely different route, which matched the song but left me disappointed. I did like their outfits and I thought that the dance element was well incorporated into the video – due to the jazzy nature of the song.
The choreography was nice. I thought it was well put together and really showed TVXQ’s dance skills at a mature level, which is appropriate for the song. It isn’t the most mind-blowing performance but it had a pleasant and smooth feeling to it.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
Over the weekend, Jiyeon returned with a winter single release, One Day. This is Jiyeon’s first solo release since her solo debut 1 Minute 1 Second. It is also her first release since her and the members of T-ARA parted ways from their former company, T-ARA. As I stated in Hyomin’s solo comeback earlier this year, we haven’t heard much of the members or any news of a group comeback. There are some hopes with the court stating that MBK Entertainment does not have trademark rights to the group’s name and hence the girls are able to make a comeback under the name T-ARA if they choose to. But until then, let’s have a closer look at Jiyeon’s returning song.
Fitting for the Winter season, One Day takes on the ballad genre. It just isn’t the type of ballad where the vocalist is belting out high notes repetitively or emotionally presenting their story. Instead, Jiyeon’s vocals are much softer and delicate than any of the songs I have personally heard her sing. But it isn’t a fragile or emotional type of song. There is a hint of happiness and joy in her voice and in the instrumentation. I did think the instrumentation was a little overpowering at times, with it overshadowing her voices every now and then. I did like the opening to the choruses (‘Someday, One Day, Everyday‘). It was a very interesting hook in my opinion and probably the best sounding line in the entire song. It is not really my favourite type of ballad but definitely a nice song for the current climate in South Korea.
I think the music video was put together under short notice. It isn’t really one with high investment. It felt more like a photoshoot, compared to a music video. They did a good job of filtering the video to give it a golden appeal, which would add to a warming effect to the song and its lyrics. But other than that, there really isn’t much else to say about the video.
Song – 6.5/10 Music Video – 5/10 Overall Review – 5.9/10
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DAY6 made their retro comeback last week with Days Gone By. And once again, I have returned to have a closer look at the album in which Days Gone By is featured on (Remember Us: Youth Part 2). The mini-album is the continuation of their Youth series, which follows from their Shoot Me: Youth Part 1 and Shoot Me single release back in July of this year. Remember Us also features Beautiful Feeling, which was also another single release during the year (and I have provided some more background information when it comes to that song below).
Remember Us: Youth Part 2 Album Cover
1..Hurt Road (아픈 길) – The album starts off with a ballad. Like any song that starts off an album, it has to be a good ballad as it is the first impression to the entire tracklist. I think the build-up in this song was done in a very nice manner. The vocals are at the forefront of the song and they do sound spectacular. But while Hurt Road does line up with other ballads DAY6 has released in the past, I thought the song was rather dry and forgettable. It just felt like a normal ballad and didn’t really have any outstanding factors that really make it suitable to be the first track on the album. (7/10)
3. Headache (두통) – Headache is not a headache-inducing track, so don’t you worry. However, it is a more hardcore rock sound that DAY6 hasn’t really gone to yet. And I think, given the quality of this song, I would love to hear more of it. It is energetic and extremely dynamic. I thought their vocals were good in this song. They were slightly filtered to give the song an additional electrifying layer. While they kept the momentum going for most of the song, there was a pause to really amp up the final chorus. But I thought that just cut the flow. But other than that, an amazing song. (9/10)
4. 121U – We return once again to the rock sound. Just this one isn’t as hardcore as the previous song. It is also a style that I am used when I listen to rock music, so there is a sense of familiarity. The song starts off well and it builds up to an explosive and driven chorus, which left like it could have just kept on going. I really liked that edging effect that the instrumental gave us in the chorus. I felt like their vocals could have been slightly louder, as the instrumental did overshadow the vocals for the most part. I think the standout moment (aside from the chorus) was the bridge, where the vocals completely smashed it out of the park. (8/10)
5. So Cool (완전 멋지잖아) – To me, So Cool takes on the punk rock genre, with a lot of the elements and sounds in the song reminding me of the said genre. It isn’t pronounced, however. Instead, it goes for a subtler approach. I thought the vocals were nice, especially the falsetto during the verses. The rapping added a nice touch of edge to the song, which I think was needed as the song felt very linear in nature. I think the song could have been more energetic and gone for some interesting details in the instrumental. It is a satisfying song, but it felt held back for the most part. (8/10)
6. Marathon (마라톤) – Personally, Marathon is one of the weaker songs of the bunch. And it isn’t because it is a terrible song. Marathon has this feel-good vibe to it that makes the song feel bright and carefree. It doesn’t feel like it pushed boundaries and given how the songs so far have been more of the edgy type of something a little more energetic, I felt like this was a weak progression for the track list. The vocals were really nice, especially when everyone is singing together for the first section of the final chorus. I thought the bridge made the song feel a little too disjointed and the sudden ending was a miss for me. (7.5/10)
7. Beautiful Feeling – I think Beautiful Feeling would have been a better song to move onto from So Cool. Beautiful Feeling was released back in September for the fans in celebration of the band’s 3rd anniversary. I really liked the melody of the song. Sure, it didn’t push any boundaries and wasn’t edgy but you could feel their gratitude in the song. The vocal work of the song was amazing, with the featuring of Dowoon in the bridge being the highlight of the song for me, which makes the song more meaningful to fans and DAY6 themselves. (8.5/10)
SEVENTEEN is nominated for Best Male Group, Best Male Choreography and Best Subunit in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. There are less than 10 days to go for the voting period, so quickly vote and Support Seventeen by clicking here!
SEVENTEEN is back with a small teaser for their upcoming comeback (which has been tipped to occur early 2019). Getting Closer was unveiled to the public one week ago when SEVENTEEN performed the new song for the first time at the MAMAs in Hong Kong. This release and their upcoming comeback have been linked to their last comeback in South Korea, Oh My! and the mini-album You Make My Day, through the accompanying hashtag – #Prequel_YMMD. What this means will be revealed to us soon. In the meantime, let’s have a closer look at their new single.
I think just by listening to the song, you can get a sense that this is their edgiest comeback yet. I haven’t heard SEVENTEEN do a hip-hop infused dance track that is this angst before. They have gone close to it before but there was always a subtle immature vibe. Hence, I find this to be a great mix of that never-heard-before style and a mature side of the group. And due to the hip-hop side of the song, there is a heavy emphasis on the rappers in the group for this. I think that is great considering how they end up with the least lines in most of their past title tracks. That being said the vocals do a pretty amazing job at adapting to the changes and they fit in well. I thought the bridge was a good example of this. The instrumental was also great, giving a dynamic and powerful canvas for the group to stand on. I did have some issues with the song. The chorus felt underwhelming. The hooks weren’t as memorable as I hoped they would be. I also felt the song was too short and that the track was jammed into the 3 minutes span.
The music video seems to hint towards that connection between their previous comeback. The Rubiks Cube, for example, that Wonwoo plays a part in the choreography for Oh My! was seen on the table in this video, taking on a grey and silver appearance instead. I do question the number of clocks and their respective times in this video. Something is up and I can’t pinpoint what. Though, any question raised about the connections between the two releases will probably be answered in the upcoming comeback. The aesthetics fo the video made it powerful and bold. Also, the use of the shade black throughout the sets, the props and their outfits really give definition to their new concept, which I thought made it quite memorable.
Has SEVENTEEN ever disappointed us with a performance? I don’t think so. The start of the performance with Hoshi reaching out in front reminded me of EXO’s Wolf. But from that point forward, everything definitely takes a turn and SEVENTEEN amazes us with another powerful set of moves. I liked how sharp everything was during the chorus. But the dance break was definitely the highlight of the entire performance (especially when Jun jumps up!).
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 7.9/10
The Boyz is nominated for Best New Male Group in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Support The Boyz and your favourite groups by clicking here to vote.
A few weeks ago The Boyz made another comeback with No Air, making this the group’s 3rd comeback of the year (excluding the special single they released). No Air is featured on the group’s 3rd mini album, which has been titled as The Only. The Boyz is one of the rookies that stood out for me this year. With their amazing dance tracks and energetic choreography, I just had to jump on board and review another one of their albums. So, without any more waiting, let’s get to it!
3. Only One – Only One is a pop dance track that utilises bass and a rolling drumming beat that really gives its addictive nature. On top of that, it also creates an energetic atmosphere that makes it appeal. It also doesn’t help that the hooks were also quite catchy, making this a track not to miss. I must admit that the drop for the chorus was typical, but the rest of the instrumental makes up for it. I thought the vocals were nice, but I really like the deep voice of whoever does the rap-speaking in the song. It goes perfectly well with the rest of the song and is my pick for the main highlight for the track. (9/10)
4. Lucid Dream (자각몽) – While I am sure the song can fit some classy choreography, there is a side to the song that makes it fit for a coffee shop or some boutique store where I live. It has an easy-going instrumentation that gives the song a golden feel. I did like the rapping in this song, whereas the vocals felt very standard. They were still good, so don’t take my comments the wrong way. Personally, I prefer their heavier dance tracks. But there is a certain level of appeal that makes me enjoy this one. (8/10)
5. 36.5° (Melting Heart) – Of course, it wouldn’t be a KPOP album without a ballad and Melting Heart is just that. It does zone into their vocals but it is extremely underwhelming, overall. The track is quite slow for my liking, even though I do enjoy a slow ballad from time to time. The instrumentation seems to take a slow jazz type of approach. To me, I think this is their weakest song on the album. It just doesn’t feel up to par with the rest of the song in terms of quality and I personally had a hard time getting into the track. (5/10)
6. 4EVER – 4EVER is what I had expected. Following the previous two songs, I was craving a dance track and The Boyz fulfilled my craving. The song has a thankfulness feeling to it, which I think it goes together with the lyrics which seem to be directed to their fans. The vocals were superb in this song, especially with the well-done harmonies. I liked the rapping, but I thought they could have took to the next level and delivered something that impacts the emotional walls of our minds. The instrumental was, once again, typical but I liked the drop for the chorus. I did think the chirping birds were a little odd but I don’t mind them. (9/10)
Winner is nominated for Best Male Group and Mino is nominated for Best Rapper in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. To support Winner and Mino, click on the link here to start voting! Voting closes in 11 days!
While their official comeback isn’t until sometime in January of next year, Winner has dropped a new single at the request of many fans. MILLIONS was released yesterday as a special pre-release single ahead of their upcoming comeback. We last saw the group during their Everyday comeback earlier this year. Mino also embarked on his solo career with Fiance, which was released a few weeks back.
I think the first thing that really jumps out at me is the use of that tropical house influence. As much as I enjoy the genre, I agree with many people who say that is way past its trendy days and it is becoming a relatively standard sound. And with the past few Winner comebacks being of the tropical nature, it just feels like they digging too much into this rabbit hole. But besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed the song. I really liked the upbeat nature of the song. It does seem a little ill-fitting for the seasonal trend but they did a really good job at balancing out that upbeat nature for the Winter period. I also liked the drums in the instrumental. I think just by the bright nature of the song and the lyrics that you can make out, the song takes a refined romantic route, which was rather nice, in my opinion. I liked the chorus, which had a simple melody but their vocals made it very catchy and addictive in nature. The rapping was also quite nice. Not too much power, which goes back to that balance.
Once again, YG Entertainment delivers with another extraordinary music video. Fitting the brightness of the song, the music video adopts that bright factor with its colourful and vibrant sets. And the all-smiling Winner members made this video pretty much unforgettable. I think the concept is a lot more typical, given the stereotypical nature of KPOP but since WInner doesn’t focus on this style too much, it becomes memorable. I really liked the final set with the fireworks in the background. I thought was quite cool.
The dance is definitely another highlight of this comeback. I like what they are doing with their fingers during the chorus. Not exactly sure what it is meant to represent but it definitely fits the song extremely well. The rest of the performance looks like it is going to be extremely fun and energetic, which are factors that I personally like.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9.5/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.4/10
It is sometimes amazing to see how far I manage to get by without reviewing an artist’s song. And in the past few years, I tried to reduce the number of artists whom I missed by including a broader spectrum of artists into the reviewing mix. Well, one artist still managed to slip through the gaps. Heize is a renowned female R&B soloist who has multiple top hits under her belt. She has also been recognised for her songs and vocals at multiple award ceremonies. Yet, I am only getting around to reviewing her for the first time.
First Sight is the title for her more recent release, which was revealed to the public last Friday. She also had the opportunity to perform it for the first time at the MAMA Awards held on Friday. And like her other comebacks in the past, Heize brings her unique vocals to the song, creating a very dreamy sound for the song. I thought the melody was quite nice and definitely a really powerful tool to really appeal to the listeners. I liked how the song changed to a mid-tempo track during the chorus rather staying ballad-like. The electronic details in the instrumental gave off a nice effect. I did think the thumping bass was a little too strong, often covering up Heize’s vocals when she goes into falsetto. I also liked the jazzy piano during the bridge. It is a real pity that I took so long to review a song from the soloist because given the way this song sound, I would have easily enjoyed the others.
Heize goes with a fairytale concept for her video. She acts as the Red Riding Hood at the start of the video, who wants to attract the attention of the male in white. She longs for that attention as she is very much in love with him but he gives no interest towards her. And this essentially the lyrics in a nutshell. She even goes to extreme lengths, where she eats a poison apple, causing her to fall asleep for eternity until she receives true love kiss, which probably won’t happen because the male in white has no interest in her. There is a second male character, the male in black. He brings her in after the male in white rejects her and he is also peering into her eternal bed at the end of the video. My guess is that he love’s Heize’s character, but like the primary storyline, she has no interest in him. I thought that was an interesting twist to the story.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
We have a new duet release, which brings together Yesung from Super Junior and Kim Chungha. Their new single is titled Whatcha Doin’. Interesting fact, if you guys don’t know, is that this isn’t the first time Chungha has collaborated with an SM artist. Earlier this year, the solo artist joined forces with Seulgi (Red Velvet), SinB (GFriend) and Kim Soyeon (GI-DLE) for Wow Thing!, which was released as part of the Station X 0 project. Yesung has also been busy with the Super Junior comebacks that fans were treated to this year.
Whatcha Doin’ is a pop track that brings out the vocals of Yesung and Chungha. Yesung has established himself as one of the main vocals of Super Junior, while Chungha has been showing off her singing capabilities this year through her solo releases and collaborations. Together, they compliment each other extremely well. Both their vocals aren’t heavy, which goes perfectly well with the light pop instrumental of this song. All of this results in a pleasant track to listen to. Throw in a simple yet catchy hook to open up the chorus, I thought this was a very nice collaboration. I did like the soft ‘awoo awoo‘ in the background during the chorus, which added an extra depth to the song. They could have gone for something a little more unique but nonetheless, it was a good song.
I thought the concept for this video was rather cute. At the start, they were both nervous to make that first move. The way they interacted with each other was really well thought out, pushing the phone to each other despite each of them in their own halves. The Boomerang feature was also a cool addition to the video. Overall, I liked the video’s appeal and its fitting nature to the song.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
The 2018 KPOPREVIEWED Awards are in full swing and voting is still opened. Did you know that EXO is nominated for Best Subunit, Best Male Group, Best Male Choreography, Best Japanese Song by a Korean Artist and Best Album? Click here to vote for EXO!
EXO returned during the week with their 5th repackaged album and the title track, both titled Love Shot. This comes after EXO released their 5th studio album, Don’t Mess Up With My Tempo, which featured the unique Tempo title track. Unlike previous years, Love Shot was released in place of EXO’s yearly release of a Winter album and single but keeping in the tradition of their yearly studio and repackaged album. The new album consists of 3 new tracks, which I reviewed below, along with the Chinese version of Love Shot (which I have not included in the review).
Love Shot Album Cover
Love Shot features all the songs from the Don’t Mess Up My Tempo album, which I have previously reviewed. If you wish to check out the song reviews from the Don’t Mess Up My Tempo album, please click here.
3. Trauma – I personally like how classy Trauma sounds. The intro to the track (the ‘La La La’) really sets the rest of the song in place. I liked how upbeat the instrumental felt despite how soft the actual music was. It was rather interesting. I also liked how their vocals were very compatible with the song, which was also a softer tone than usual. When I write these reviews, I listen to the track several times to really be sure about what I am writing. And every time I listened to Trauma, Chen’s mini falsetto in the chorus stands out for me. Also, like the vocals, the raps were very well suited for the song. They do bring an edgy vibe to the song, which breaks the classiness of the song for a slight section. And I quite like that too. (9/10)
4. Wait – Wait is an acoustic ballad that goes straight to showcasing EXO’s vocals from the very first second. And it is a very beautiful sounding song, with the acoustic guitar being the only instrument in the song. The rest of the song relies on the said vocals and the nice harmonies that you can hear throughout the song. The chorus features harmonies with all the members, while the verses feature harmonies between the singer and background vocals. Looking back at the song, I find it extremely hard to really pinpoint anything I dislike about it. (10/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8.6/10 (This incorporates the scores of all 13 songs on the albums)
Both Red Velvet and NCT are nominated in this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Voting is underway and if you haven’t voted yet, click here to do so now!
For this week’s SM Station release, Yeri (from Red Velvet) and Renjun, Jeno and Jaemin (from NCT) join hands together for the special release of Hair In The Air, which is the main theme song for the new television series – Trolls: The Beat Goes On. The song features on a special OST album for the show and the album also contains a second track, Best Day Ever, featuring Haechan, Chenle and Jisung (from NCT as well). But we are here for Hair In The Air, so let’s get going.
Hair In The Air goes for a fun-filled and vibrant sound, suiting the animated show it will represent in South Korea. It has this positivity atmosphere that makes you want to smile and dance to. The pop instrumental for the song was consistent (in a good way) and gave the song that fun factor which I have already mentioned. It is super addictive so I can see it being used as a children’s show theme song. Yeri and Renjun take cares of the vocals in the song, while Jeno and Jaemin rap in the song. And I personally enjoyed both the vocals and raps in the song as they both add some flavour and textures to the song. It may just be a standard song to some but I thoroughly enjoyed its lightheartedness.
Like the song, the video is pretty much a lighthearted video. Not really meant to be taken seriously. Since it was for Trolls, I had expected some sort of Trolls animation throughout it. But instead, we have a party themed video with Yeri and the 3 featuring members from NCT. But it seems that this party is all in the book that Yeri is reading. There is a small bit of choreography for the video to compliment the fun style of the video. Rather simple but I enjoyed it.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
OT7 is nominated for Best Male Group and Best Male Choreography in the 2018 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. If you have yet to vote for GOT7 and your other favourite groups, click on the link here to do so!
GOT7 returned last week with their repackaged album, Present: You & Me. This album features the title track, Miracle and Lullaby. It is a different repackaged album, however, as normal repackaged albums are renamed but have only one to three new tracks. You & Me has a total of 12 new tracks on the album, which is basically a second album. The unit and solo tracks were all previously performed at GOT7’s concerts and this is the first time we have seen a studio version of these songs. I also want to clear up another detail. This isn’t the group’s first repackaged, as Mad was repackaged into a Christmas album back in 2014. But we are here to focus on Present: You & Me. Note that this is a very long review.
2. Take Me To You – Take Me To You has the potential to be a contender for title track status. It combines the artistic style that I felt from each of their individual songs in their Present: Me album, combined with their usual dance style of music, allowing for some choreography to easily be performed for this track. I like the soft nature of the song, as every element in the song felt refined and soothing. Even the rapping reduced its energy and power. For the most part, I liked their execution of the song. I just felt that Mark’s “Taking Me, Taking Me’ could have been a little louder as it could have been easily missed. (9.5/10)
3. Come On (안 보여) – Come On is a mix between a pop dance and hip-hop. And thus, it is an ideal song that fits in nicely into GOT7’s portfolio. I think it is a pleasant song to listen to. Nothing is heavy in this song, which is a plus in an industry filled with dance-heavy tracks. I also liked the melodies in this song and each member sings in one form or another for this song. Jackson stands out as he takes the lead for the chorus, singing rather than rapping for a change. His voice in this song is memorable and gives the song an interesting texture. (9/10)
4. 1:31 AM (잘 지내야해) (JB & Youngjae) – 1:31AM is one of the three songs on this album which was first performed in 2017. 1:31 AM is a ballad that highlights the vocals of both JB and Youngjae in a fashion that we don’t hear often in their group songs or solo tracks. It is a little slow for my liking, but it has a very nice melody and the lyrics to the song are just very touching. The one thing I wanted with this song is harmonies, which was lacking as the two vocalists do not sing together at all (which is slightly interesting). (8/10)
JB’s Miracle Teaser Image
Youngjae’s Miracle Teaser Image
5. Higher (Jinyoung & Mark) – Jinyoung and Mark’s collaboration starts off as a typical pop song. Jinyoung’s signature vocals and Mark’s deep rapping voice dominates the start of the song as well. The chorus goes electronic with an explosion of colour and sounds that create an upbeat and unmissable energetic atmosphere that is bound to get you dancing. There is also a fun element to the song which makes it perfect for a concert. (8/10)
6. I Love It (Jackson, BamBam & Yugyeom) – I Love It is the shortest track on the album, with Jackson, BamBam and Yugyeom only singing on this track for around 1 minute (and they all sing!). I think their vocals on this song shine the brightest (sorry to the other members) on the album. It literally took my breath away. The instrumentation was lovely and the melody was beautiful. The biggest sin this track has associated to itself is its shortness. (9.5/10)
7. WOLO (Jackson, BamBam & Yugyeom) – WOLO is the third song on the album that was first performed at their concerts last year. WOLO stands for ‘We Only Like Once’ and we can categorise the song as part of the hip-hop genre. They do most of their rapping and singing during the verses, leaving the electronic dubstep to do most of the talking in the chorus. And it is the type of drop to really excite me for a performance. I liked the alternating lines to the chorus and each member of the trio shined in this song. (7/10)
8. King (Jinyoung & BamBam) –It was interesting to see where this unit would take us since both Jinyoung and BamBam’s personality is very different. This would be a hyped-up party track that would fit right into BamBam’s alley. Jinyoung’s presence was definitely a shocker (in a good way). I am not a fan of autotune usually, especially when it is overused. However, I find its use in this song well balanced, despite the entire track being in that electronic filter. It builds up the tension and not once did it feel obnoxious. I like both member’s tone, with Jinyoung bringing fierceness and BamBam bring energy to the song, It is one stand-out yet surprising track. (9/10)
BamBam’s Miracle Teaser Image
Jinyoung’s Miracle Teaser Image
9. Think About It (JB, Mark, Youngjae) – Think About It is another R&B song for the album. And it brings together JB and Youngjae’s vocals and Mark’s rapping. Together, you can tell the powerful direction that this track is going to take. And while the song does go in that direction, it is the most underwhelming song on the album. The song has a drifty melody with only the vocals and raps to keep it grounded. The instrumental is very minute compared to the vocals, which seem to overpower the instrumentation several times. I think if the instrumental had some sort of extra definition, the track would have been a lot more cohesive. (6/10)
10. From Now (이젠) (Yugyeom Solo) – Yugyeom doesn’t get much of a chance to really show off his vocal capabilities in GOT7 songs. From Now does just that. His solo track, From Now, is an R&B track, which is familiar territory for the dancer. And not only does he bring smooth vocals, but he also packs a punch with the delivery of his lines. There were parts in the chorus that felt powerful and they left me shocked. I really like his harmonies with the background vocals in the bridge. The instrumental was honestly a bore but his vocals did an amazing job at saving the song. (7/10)
11. Hunger (Jackson Solo) – This is one epic song. It makes me hungry for more. It is another short track (with another 20 seconds compared to I Love It). But it is extremely feisty and delivers all the energy you think Jackson has into one powerful track. Unlike the other songs which he focused on vocals, Hunger takes us back to raps that we know Jackson best for. I also liked his lyrics, which were all in English. (8/10)
12. Phoenix (Jackson & Yugyeom) – The final unit track follows neatly from Jackson’s Hunger. It is another feisty track, just with less power and impact. Jackson’s rap was once again in English, while Yugyeom handles the Korean in his vocal parts. There was a pause in the song, which I think acted as a suspense mechanism for the stage. Not sure why it was included in the studio version as it cuts the flow of the song and made the song feel awkward. But other than that, it was another nice track. (7.5/10)
The 2018 KPOPREVIEWED Awards are in full swing and voting is still opened. Did you know that EXO is nominated for Best Subunit, Best Male Group, Best Male Choreography, Best Japanese Song by a Korean Artist and Best Album? Click here to vote for EXO!
EXO has returned with their 5th repackaged album and their latest title track, both titled Love Shot. Last month, EXO returned with their 5th studio album, Don’t Mess Up My Tempo. Promotions for Tempo were quite short, causing anger to be directed towards SM Entertainment for their lack of promotions this year as a group. It does seem like EXO will be promoting their repackaged album and title track for slightly longer as their album promotions will crossover with the End of Year music festivals and award ceremonies that start 2019 off.
Love Shot is a pop dance track filled with a balanced level of thumping bass and it feels a lot more comfortable than what Tempo felt like. It flows a lot more nicely, with smoothness being a keyword used to describe the song. I think what I like about the song is its addictive chorus. It may be a simple hook but it is keyed into your memory by the time the song ends, so you just want to replay the song to relive the chorus. The vocals in this track were also a strong point, adding to the track’s appeal. I really liked D.O’s ‘People come and people go‘ start to the bridge, which I think was more memorable than the already addictive chorus. Once again, I also liked the rapping. It is perfect for this sensual sounding song but I have to admit that it doesn’t top the energy and intensity we got from Tempo. And that basically applies to the entire song. But nonetheless, EXO’s Love Shot was a great song to mark their second return to 2018.
EXO has their guns drawn for their music video. There is a plotline somewhere in the video, with the way Suho walks away with a SWAT team by his side and everyone is confronted by the SWAT team when they came to rob the bank (of flowers). While it does feel cryptic and confusing, the plotline does seem fairly interesting. Also, when I thought of ‘Love Shot‘, I thought of drinking rather than guns. But I liked the way they incorporated alcohol into their guns, which is pretty aesthetic. But at the same time, not too effective when it comes to robbing a bank. I also thought the closeup shots throughout the video showed off great visuals of the members.
But I think we cannot pass the choreography for this comeback. Like the song, the choreography seems to take a sensual approach, reminding me of the moves they pulled for The Eve. I liked the incorporation of the small “handgun” in their body rolls for the choruses. As for the verses, we just have to wait and see. But it looks good from the music video end.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
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