Review

Random Shuffle Review: Block B – Very Good

Posted on by 17 Comments

With over 3,000 songs on my iPhone’s “K-Pop Singles” playlist, I thought it would be fun to add a bit of unpredictability to my song review posts. So as a result, we have the “Random Shuffle Review” feature.

The rules are simple. I fire up my playlist, press “shuffle,” and whatever song plays first gets the full Bias List treatment!

Year Released: 2013

At their peak, Block B were one of those rare male idol groups who could also dominate the digital charts, but they weren’t an overnight success. Like many rookie groups, it took a few releases for them to really find their footing and place within the idol landscape. 2012’s NalinA and Nillili Mambo were huge breakouts for the guys, but in the long run Very Good may just end up being their most iconic song.

I find the goofy fun of tracks like H.E.R to be more versatile, but there’s no discounting Very Good’s rambunctious energy. The song declares its intent right from the start, as an aggressive wall of guitar distortion deposits us in a frenzied, freewheeling atmosphere perfectly suited to Block B’s miscreant charms. Talk about a group with an image and sound unlike any other! Very Good is like the rallying cry of rascals everywhere, powered by an endless sense of braggadocio that would become irritating if the guys weren’t so damn committed to the bluster.

Very Good’s hip-hop verses are… very good, and improved upon by a generous dose of rock guitar. But, the song really catches fire as we swerve into the pre-chorus build. It’s here that P.O. unleashes his hurricane-force growl, delivering a knockout K-pop-meets-screamo moment that effortlessly segues into a more melodic – yet equally powerful – hook. Very Good then drops into its titular chorus, but never sacrifices energy. The guitar is replaced by abrasive synths, mirroring the intensity of the verses but keeping things fresh with a different sonic palette. Smartly, the track forgoes an extended second verse, choosing to launch right back into its best bits as quickly as possible. Though easily digestible, the overall structure is actually unexpected, playing around with the length and placement of different pieces. This all works to Very Good’s distinctive, spontaneous appeal.

 Hooks 9
 Production 9
 Longevity 10
 Bias 9
 RATING 9.25

Be sure to add your own rating by participating in the poll below!

17 thoughts on “Random Shuffle Review: Block B – Very Good”

  1. Nick, did you plan on a “random” compare and contrast to your post yesterday?

    First of all, actual song writing talent by an independent voice.

    Second, Block B is a whole bunch of actual personalities that does not require a fan made compilation video of outtakes to discern. Because of their near-disbandment-independent resurrection experience, there is no real agency overlord calling the shots. Real tattoos? Sure.(Taeil also has a lot of tattoos.) I want hot pink Elvis hair! Can I wear this hat that matches nothing else? What about real glasses, not contacts? Choreo not really in sync? Wait, what choreo? Can I just scream out those high notes? Sure.

    Actual Fun happened with this song on this set. Isn’t that what pop music is really about, having Actual Fun? No wondered this song gets covered a lot.

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  2. This song is one of my favorite songs in K-pop and from Block B in General. I love that they added something new everytime in the verses and all that stuff. No complaints at all for this song. I had a blast while jamming to the song.
    Onto my Score for it:
    Hooks: 9
    Production: 10
    Thrill: 9
    Bias: 9
    Overall Rating: 9.25

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  3. I used to be very prejudiced against Kpop. Before I started listening to Kpop regularly in late 2015, I had begun to dabble in it in 2012/2013 and Block B was the first group that I encountered. It started with Nillili Mambo, followed by Very Good and I absolutely loved both of them so much that I ended up expanding to BAP and GDragon. At the time, I only listened to them for about 1 year. I stopped there and didn’t search much more besides those. Fast forward a couple of years and even though I no longer had a negative view of Kpop, it also had never stuck with me but I decided to give it a go again because of those songs I liked before and it has become my main musical preference for about 5 years now. Block B, BAP and GDragon were absolutely the gateway artists for me.

    Currently I also check a lot of releases weekly. I check K2N daily to see what comes out and search for it on Spotify. That coupled with Kpopalypse’s round up, which covers some pretty hidden tracks sometimes, has become a main hobby of mine so I listen to a lot of albums/singles/eps from korea. It’s crazy for me to think that something that I despised prior to 2013 has become such a great part of my daily life and I can’t help but look at Nillili Mambo, Very Good, One Shot and Crooked with a lot of affection. I still adore these songs and I’m glad I can be a part of this community, even if I have to stay away from things like twitter and other fandom related spots to avoid unnecessary drama.

    This website is great. It gives me a somewhat safe space within this community that focuses on the music rather than the rest that goes on in Kpop. And even if I’m not that knowledgeable about music nor am I always in agreement with you, I know I can express my opinion here without feeling that I’m going to get attacked for it. I love your website, Nick.

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  4. To me Nalina, Nilili Mambo and Very Good are the trio of golden release from Block-B (they’re also my number one bias kpop group). Somehow, I’m one of the few who never really clicked with HER the way so many others did. It’s not bad, but I would put even Toy over it.

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  5. The “Rough” (rock) version of this song is a lot of fun, too. Sometimes you just feel like headbanging and they really gave us a remix for that.

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  6. Nick, can you review “ZGZG” by SAAY? It came out in June last year but it seems it flew under your radar. Trust me, it’s a very interesting song.

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  7. I’ve never actually heard the Korean version of Very Good before (somehow) but the Japanese version was actually one of the first ~10 K-Pop and related songs I listened to! I can’t remember exactly how I felt about it at first, though I imagine I was in a bit of shock over the clear difference between this song and what was popular in the West circa 2017. However, it definitely left its impression on me! This song really helped me get into K-Pop. Thank you, Spotify recommendations — you saw Solo Day and Fire Truck in my otherwise fully English playlist and knew what you had to do.

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  8. Damn yeah! These were K-pop songs and no mistake! I often feel like most releases nowadays are just intended as dance showcases alla Black on Black and not standalone songs you’re supposed to listen to, say, on a party. At most background music for studying. Block B would never work like that, hehe. I’m almost vibrating marking the beat during all of the song’s running time.

    Funny thing, I was listening to this one a lot yesterday night.

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  9. I love the punk-ish edge this one always have. It’s just instant rocking madness whenever i plays it.

    I need some 3rd or maybe 4th gen that could be block b’s successor. Too much are being big bang or shinee right now.

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  10. This song, Gdragon – Crooked and Bigbang – Bang Bang Bang actually got me into Kpop… From time to time I’m still in the mood for something powerful (and slightly aggressive) like this 🙂

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