More and more this year I’ll probably be discussing multiple songs at once and just jotting down my thoughts about them for review-type posts, both because I don’t think formal reviews were ever my forte, and also because it frees up time for me to cover all the features I want to do (hypothetically, surely I wouldn’t just be lazy, surely).
So anyway, let’s get to it.
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GFRIEND – “Season Of Memories”
While Foxhound_Delta already gave his thoughts on the track, after a bunch of listens and reading reactions, I had the desire to get my two cents in as well. Basically, this indeed borrows from the trendy J-pop sounds — especially YOASOBI and thus QWER, as well as some Imase and Natori (the latter’s animated aesthetic as well) — which on some level is appropriate since they’ve always had that influence in some form. While “Season Of Memories” trades soaring choruses for a more even-keeled approach, the rhythm and vibe is very easy to fall for eventually, much the same that a quality anime OST opening would be. While the energetic production is enough to get the track to above-average by default, the things that set it apart from the crowd were really anytime the vocals pushed for power, especially from Yuju and especially in the post-chorus (or back-half of the chorus) when it all kicks up a notch for the rousing finish.
While it’s true that the song for the reunion comeback HYBE/Source Music probably quickly threw together for PR doesn’t live up to one of the greatest runs of singles in K-pop history, it’s also true that if that’s your standard for enjoyment then you won’t like much of anything. Not sure why anybody would’ve had that expectation for a reunion release, but I enjoyed this addition to their discography as something that was at least good and Playlistable that has the potential to lean towards great as the year progresses.
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SEVENTEEN BSS – “CBZ”
You know a group’s concept/branding is working when you go into a song sorta knowing what you want out of it and what to expect, and then the group delivers exactly that in some form or another. SEVENTEEN BSS are always gonna be bringing fun, energy, and an anthemic rallying cry to the table, and “CBZ” is no exception.
The hook here isn’t likely to be as ubiquitous and universal as “Fighting” since it’s more of a Korean wordplay — “CBZ” is “Cheongchun Baro Jigeum” (or “Cheongchun Baro Zigeum”), which basically means “Youth Is Now”, and the first syllable of the acronym is “Cheong Ba Zi”, which means “Jeans” — but the song definitely embodies the message here when they deliver everything with a type of verve that’s rather hard to resist. The pairing of BSS with the swing and country influences/aesthetics are a surprising match made in heaven.
Speaking of “Fighting”, it grew on me a lot after hearing it enough and watching their endless charisma in performances, and maybe this will be the same. Right now, the music video and the general vibe carry it more than the melodies or hooks do, finding a snug place on my exercise playlist but maybe stopping just short of great. Still, at the bare minimum, it’s hard to put this on and not feel a little serotonin release that makes you wanna dance, and it provides a nice change of pace from the direction a lot of other K-pop groups are going.