It hasn't been half of a year since Super Junior had made a comeback with their 7th full album 'MAMACITA' but the two "fishy" members of the group, Donghae and Eunhyuk (or as they go by their duet name, D&E) dropped their first Korean mini-album the week. [Who guessed I was talking about them earlier? Here goes your high-five! *highfives*]
I was literally on Cloud 9 when I have read about their comeback. I'm always happy when SJ comes up with something (I'm an ELF for life, no need to deny it) and it's the same with these boys. Especially since it's a Korean comeback! I know for some people it doesn't mean a thing, the point is they've made new songs isn't it, but in my opinion it's something we should be happy about. Korean comeback means on one hand available full-length MVs (Japanese copyrights are no fun), on the other hand more performances to watch since they'll go on music shows to promote. (They've already started, go and look around if you're interested!)
But enough with fangirling (for a while), let's see what kind of music is presented by D&E this time.
- IMPORTANT -
Reviews and such reflect the opinion of the author. Don't take it to heart if our opinion differs, I won't take it as well. To each his own, people.
Reviews and such reflect the opinion of the author. Don't take it to heart if our opinion differs, I won't take it as well. To each his own, people.
- IMPORTANT -
# Track 1:
The Beat Goes On
The title song is a great beginning to the album. If the beginning of the song doesn't excite enough once you get to chorus your opinion can change drastically - the chorus is catchy, it's easy and fun to sing along ("And the beat goes on and it never ends~"). The song has a great groove, also a preview feeling like 'here, that's what you can look forward to hear in our album'. "The Beat Goes On" can pass as a really good intro. Also, Eunhyuk's voice shines here and the "breakdown" part towards the end of the song is fitting unlike most of the time SM tries. (Sorry but I'm still deeply hurt by the SWING dance break part.)
# Track 2:
Growing Pains
I love this song. Like loooo~ve this song. It starts softly and innocent with the eerie piano and light guitar and keeps it sweet even if the song builds. Really good choice of promoted song, it showcases the vocal talents of Donghae and Eunhyuk. Because let's be honest, there are still people on Earth who think Donghae is only a handsome fish while Eunhyuk is only a dancing machine myeolchi. (I'll promise this is the last time I used the fish-metaphor in this post. Sorry. :D) No, they're both great singers. Yeah, they don't have huge vocal ranges but they can make you feel with their voices. And their vocal harmony is another thing - they sound sooo good together. I could listen to them all the time without getting bored. (If SM knows one thing, it's how to use the vocal talents their artists have.)
I understand those who say the chorus sounds a lot like "Man in Love" by INFINITE because I noticed the simile also but I can't go as far as say it's a rip-off. The emotional backgrounds of the songs are different, they tell different things so even if the singing parts are have some things in common I feel the overall difference between "Growing Pains" and "Man in Love".
Speaking of "Growing Pains"... Who thought it's a good English title and why the people around them didn't tell them off? The original title ('Neoneun namankeum') means something like "You as much as me" and even if it sounds weird, if you check out the English translation of the song you can realize it fits. (I'll talk about the MV next so let's continue this "title battle" there, not here.) The title "Growing Pains" doesn't fit the song for me. [That's why I still call it 'Neoneun namankeum' in my mind.] Yeah, love is painful but hearing this title all I can think of is aging is harder. *badumtss*
# Track 3:
Sweater and Jeans
I was really skeptical about this song when I heard it in the medley. ["Sweater and Jeans? Seriously?"] But then I got to hear the whole song, read the English translation and hey, this song is creative! The boys compare their loved ones to clothes because they feel like they're one with her, they could wear her all day... Whoa, things've got steamy. :D
Anyway, the song is very r'n'b-ish which is a good thing by me because it's one of my favorite music styles. The background vocals stood out to me the most in this song (though they're overall great through the whole album... SM, once again, when you know how to do something you do that exceptional. *thumbs up*) and when Eunhyuk says something like "You'll be my Marilyn and I'll be your James Dean" I giggled like the high schooler I was years back. [And also remembered that one time Eunhyuk dressed up as Marilyn Monroe at the airport... Oh man that was gold!]
# Track 4:
Breaking Up
"Breaking Up" is one of those almost typical tricky SJ songs. You know, those ones which when you first listen to you enjoy them, you have a big smile on your face but it only lasts until you look up the lyrics. Because when you do, your smile falters and you maybe even want to cry a river like 'Why? Why does such a nice melody have such depressing lyrics?'. (You want an example? Check out "A Goodbye" or "Mid-Season".)
Okay, it's not actually the case regarding to "Breaking Up". The beginning does remind me of an angsty Korean drama though but thankfully I had lost that feeling when I reached the end of the song. Eunhyuk raps more than here which I'm a bit sulky about but the thing that he really sings a lot in this album (especially does so if we compare it to his earlier days) and that Donghae sings so well comforts me. I don't really dig the "I guess we're breaking up... / Just so we can make it up" thing but guess what I can't like everything.
# Track 5:
Lights, Camera, Action!
As we slowly reach the end of the album, we get more and more of the usual D&E feel - mean it as we hear more strong and clubby sounds, you can bob your head and shake your behind like you did and do when the boys sing "Skeleton" or "I Wanna Dance".
"Lights, Camera, Action!" is a very good example of that. I already see in front of myself ELFs rocking to it during a concert. :D I like the chorus the most and I probably forgot to mention through the review but I'm impressed with the English on this album. Where did "shoot anonymus" and "loverholic robotronic" go, SM? Sigh, the golden days. *laugh* Okay, I'm just kidding. I'm not trying to mock them or getting into a Kpop VS English kind of talk because I also hate when people bashing Kpop because of its English. ;)
# Track 6:
Can You Feel It?
I'll be honest with you guys - among all the songs in the album I like "Can You Feel It" the least. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad song. It's just that 1) it sounds pretty generic to me and 2) the lyrics don't help much on it too. The continuous 'Chog-i wa' even annoys me sometimes. And the breakdown also... breaks the song for me. [no pun intended]
So yeah, I'm a bit confronted but I'm sure there'll be ELFs who like the song more than me and once again, it's like "Lights, Camera, Action!" - perfect for concerts when they reach their peak. (I mean the concerts... okay? :D)
# Track 7 (last):
Mother
I had weird feelings about this song like the title is "The Beat Goes On", the album is packed with intense and love-themed songs, how will a song about mothers come in the picture? But actually it works. Fortunately the boys didn't go all ballad-ish on the song and made a warm, nice song instead. [I'm sure their actual mothers cried a river if they had heard it already.) The 'mother-other' rhyme sounded strange to me at first - and even cheesy - but after hearing the full song I came to like it. If I was Donghae's or Eunhyuk's mom, I'd be proud. Not like I'm not proud of them as their fan but... you know. [LOL how random I can get]
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Summary
I'm happy and satishfied with this D&E album. I know we ELF always say 'SUJU never disappoints' but really, I think even other Kpop fanclub members can like these songs. "The Beat Goes On" is well-poduced, surprisingly is if we consider that the whole group comeback wasn't such a long time ago and the members are all world-touring right now. [I try not thinking of how tired they all must be TT.TT]
I'm happy and satishfied with this D&E album. I know we ELF always say 'SUJU never disappoints' but really, I think even other Kpop fanclub members can like these songs. "The Beat Goes On" is well-poduced, surprisingly is if we consider that the whole group comeback wasn't such a long time ago and the members are all world-touring right now. [I try not thinking of how tired they all must be TT.TT]
Songs I especially recommend
"Sweater & Jeans"
"Lights, Camera, Action!"
How many stars would you give?
4 out of 5
What are your thoughts on the album, the songs, the overall comeback? (The MV review comes right after this, that's why I haven't mentioned it yet.) Share them with me, let's talk it out! I won't bite. ;)
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