Day6 sings about being Day5 in all-around pleasing track, “Letting Go”

After quite a bit of drama (Is it cool to call them Day5 yet?), Day6 is back with “Letting Go”.

Considering the nature of their most recent scandal, “Letting Go” is an apropos choice for a comeback song. The song, lyrics-wise, laments the inevitability of letting go of a relationship to ensure the happiness of a loved one. I could get all analytic about it, but I rather enjoy thinking that the song is representative of the sacking of Junhyeok to appease delusional fangirls. Deeper meaning aside, this song succeeds because of the mixture of its lyrics, music video, and Day6’s woeful rocking.

The song itself has an enjoyably Western feel. Parts sound a bit like a hybrid of All American Reject’s “Move Along” and The Beatles’ “Yesterday” in the best sort of way. The quintet maintains a restrained force when singing and that restraint, coupled with the symbolism inherent in the MV, builds to an almost cacophonous shift in the song’s sound. Said shift is where the song either shines or falls short depending on the listener. The instrumentation becomes a bit more chaotic (specifically with the inclusion of louder drumming) and there is an obligatory rap-break. On first listen, this section was a bit jarring, but I was able to appreciate it as a passable transition to the song’s satisfying crescendo.

—–

“Letting Go” is made all the better by its MV. In the beginning, the MV acts as a translation of the song’s lyrics. It conveys the loneliness, chaos, and heartbreak that comes with ending a relationship through its utilization of instruments and the band itself.

The rest of the MV focuses mostly on performance shots. Considering that Day6 is a band, the performance shots are sufficiently badass and interesting enough on their own to make the MV an entertaining watch. Hell, I even found myself playing band member Where’s Waldo.

“Letting Go” is an enjoyable song with a timely message, and for fans of Day6, it will certainly hit close to home emotionally. For non-fans, “Letting Go” teeters on the border between subdued pseudo-ballad and badass rock jam, and the end result is all-around pleasing.