After pre-releasing a song a few weeks ago, Kim Jaejoong is back with his new album, No.X. It’s released as he’s serving in the military, so we won’t be seeing any sort of promotion. I’ve noted before that, although I can appreciate his solo material, none of it has really stuck with me in the past. Love You More might be different.
The track doesn’t feel like it’s as big a moment as past singles Just Another Girl or Mine. But as a song, it possesses a more nimble, bright energy than much of his work. There’s a heavy dose of synth, which pairs perfectly with the power pop guitar riffs that give the track the feel of an 80’s anthem mixed with the crunchy funk of Lenny Kravitz. It’s not exactly what I expected from Jaejoong, but it’s a pleasant surprise. Fans of his darker, denser rock might be a bit disappointed, and may even feel like this poppier sound equates to pandering or “selling out.” But for me, Love You More finally pairs Jaejoong’s rocker image with the melodic refrain I’ve been looking for.
It is a bit disappointing that we won’t be able to see any live performances of this track for awhile, as I imagine a stage show would really elevate the song and make it feel weightier than it does in the studio recording. Still, even within the confines of a music video that doesn’t feature him nearly as much as it should, Jaejoong’s charisma fuels Love You More and proves yet again that he is one-of-a-kind in the world of kpop.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Actually beside the title track “love you more” almost all his fans falling in love with the titles track 12 called “run away ” lol,maybe because they are a kind of fans like you said “a Fans of his darker, denser rock” lol,anyway please listen all the song, this time i feel like jaejoong album more into British pop ballad rock lol before his album sound more like jpop / jrock genres. And thanks for the review ^^
LikeLike
Yeah, I’m liking the album a lot. I think you nailed the reason why: I’m much more partial to British pop/rock than dark j-rock. Thanks for commenting!
LikeLike
Hi, a long time lurker on your site here, since your old blog actually. I’m a huge fan of your reviews and you have introduced me to so many great artists that I would have never otherwise heard of, so I just really want to express my thanks to you for running this blog. It’s also especially easy for me to find new music I would like through your blog because our taste in upbeat songs are really similar.
I was also wondering if you could share your thoughts on this song:
I chose the live version because one of the guys in this sounds really horrible in the studio version for some reason. I generally dislike ballads, but when my friends forced me to watch this I was really pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t get bored. At the same time though, I thought the chorus was repeated too much and the part after the second bridge was redundant. I’m curious to hear what you think of this song as an objective reviewer. Because it’s pretty much the first ballad I didn’t find boring, I’m quite fascinated with this song.
LikeLike
Thanks for the kind words! I’m grateful to have you as a reader.
Honestly, I’m not very familiar with JYJ’s Japanese material, so watching this video is actually the first time for me hearing this song.
Initial thoughts: Boy, it’s definitely a jpop ballad, isn’t it? There’s a certain melodic trait so many Japanese ballads share. Sort of overblown and super earnest in a dramatic, hold-the-notes-as-long-as-possible way. Having not heard the song before, I can’t say the melody really struck me as being all that interesting, but it’s certainly performed with gusto. I’d agree that it feels a bit overlong, but that’s only a problem because its energy stays at the same point throughout. It does kind of feel like it’s building towards something towards the 4:15 mark, but it really is hard to “build” when you basically start at a crescendo and sustain that feel going forward. Still, it’s a great vocal showcase and clearly emotional. I’m sure if I was a massive fan of the group, I’d be singing a different tune. Coincidentally, parts of the chorus remind me of News’ recent ballad Hikari No Shizuku, which I wrote about back in January.
Just my two cents. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
Thanks for your response! Yes it’s definitely very Japanese sounding, even before I found out it was Japanese. I think I like the song because of it’s melody actually, especially in the verses and the bridge, and also the harmonies (I am a sucker for harmonies, which makes me like kpop even more). I do wish there was more dynamic contrast in both the vocals and the instrumentals.
It’s fascinating to me how people respond to certain melodies and just music in general so differently sometimes. I’m studying psychology right now in college but the psychology behind music taste is still such a mystery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Song Review: Kim Jaejoong – Tender Love | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
Pingback: Song Review: Kim Jaejoong – Nobody Like You | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion