I’ll make this intro a very quick one due to the length of this post. TWICE has returned with Merry & Happy, which is the re-release of their first album, Twicetagram. Both albums and songs have already topped the charts, showcasing the success and stability of TWICE.
1. Heart Shaker (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Heart Shaker. (8/10)
2. Merry & Happy – Another upbeat Christmas themed track which didn’t feel too loaded. All the members vocally shined in the song and it felt genuinely cute. Besides that, the instrumental could have been better to keep the song more interesting. (6/10)
3. Likey (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Likey. (7.5/10)
4. Turtle (거북이) – Turtle felt like a sweet song. It had a really nice acoustic instrumental which paired well with the vocals. From a song of such nature, the chorus became stuck in my head after a few listens. (8/10)
5. Missing U – Following Turtle is another acoustic song that developed into a somewhat pop-like during the chorus. It also seemed to incorporate some tropical flares in it as well. The transition between the acoustic and electric guitar was nice. In many ways, the song felt quite similar to Turtle, including the vocals and raps. Also, another catchy track. (9/10)
6. Wow – The song features retro vibes that made the song stand out slightly. Besides that, various details stuck out for the wrong reasons. The girl’s pronunciation of the word ‘Wow’ sounded like a dog barking, while the raps were my least favourite parts. Furthermore, the song felt repetitive by the time it got to the final chorus. (4/10)
7. FFW – For those who don’t know, FFW stands for ‘Fast Forward’. Given the title, the song’s tempo does not feel like it fits its name. But it isn’t intolerable. The chorus was quite nice but once again, the vocals didn’t seem to work with it. Come to the think of it, FFW does remind me of a Christmas song for some odd reason. (7/10)
8. Ding Dong – It is the one song on the album that is bound to get everyone dancing. The chorus was quite catchy and upbeat. It goes well with the bright sound that I think you can associate with TWICE. I like how there was an incline during the chorus, which I thought made the track interesting and appealing to my ears. (9/10)
9. 24/7 – The soft start of the song was really well done. Following that was a slight build-up throughout the rest of the song. It is a catchy track with many memorable moments. The addictive chorus, the clean vocal work, the subtle upbeat instrumentation and the cool rap. What more can you ask for? (9/10)
10. Look At Me (날 바라바라봐) – The “Look At Me” lines repeated throughout the song became quite addictive. The raps were also quite nice even though they were of a more standard nature. The falsetto vocals before the chorus and during the bridge were also quite intriguing. The slowdown that made up the bridge contrasted well with the rest of the track. Overall, I thought it was an interesting song. (8/10)
11. Rollin’ – I thought it was a great track but there is a part of me that thinks it could have been better. The greatness is attributed to the retro vibes coming straight from the instrumentals. I actually like the chorus, which reminds of certain songs. The reason why i think the track could have better was that the vocals/raps were underwhelming. (6.5/10)
12. Don’t Give Up (힘내!) – While I thought the instrumental was on the quirky side, there were moments where I thought it overpowered the vocals. The vocals themselves were quite good but it was clear that the rap sequences (especially the one at the end) was the best part of the entire track. The bridge felt like it belonged to a completely different song. It was another passable track on the album. (6/10)
13. You In My Heart (널 내게 담아) – I really enjoyed the fresh feel that the instrumental gave the song but its pop style is something that you hear often. The vocals don’t really add much to the song but they were extremely fitting and clean for the song. I must say that if you want something easy on the ears, this is the song for you. (8/10)
14. Sleep Tight, Good Night (잘자요 굿나잇) – It is time for that mandatory ballad. And it wasn’t as bad as I had expected it. Instead, the track contained nice vocals. It did make me feel sleepy, acting almost like a lullaby. And while that may sound like a bad track, it isn’t. Instead, it is a nice way to say the album is over and to wait for the next release (at least, that is what I got from it). (8/10)
Overall Album Rating – 7.5/10
KPOPREVIEWED 