It’s “idol band” day, with ONEWE and Lucy revealing their comeback tracks at the same time. In ONEWE’s case, Rain To Be (비를 몰고 오는 소년) comes from their first mini album and is their first single since December’s A Book In Memory. Like many of their tracks, Rain opts for an angstier sound but makes room for each members’ talents to shine.
I’ll always prefer brighter fare when it comes to groups like this, and ONEWE have the tendency to get a little mopey with their melodies. Rain To Be’s verses succumb to this temptation, struggling to find an engaging sound. Parts of the track plod along without much beyond Yonghoon’s incredible vocals to keep me engaged. But, Rain rights itself with a solid chorus. The tempo rises and the angst sharpens into a more galvanizing cry.
A beautiful guitar hook runs throughout the track, almost like a mournful take on the group’s buoyant End Of Spring from last year. It’s replaced by keys for much of the second verse, giving Rain a more funereal atmosphere. And though we build toward a guitar-fueled climax right before the final chorus, Rain To Be’s overall arrangement is a bit fitful for my taste. It’s hard to gain a foothold, despite a central hook that repeats often and is echoed by nearly every instrumental element. On the plus side, I think the track makes room for every member to contribute in a way that feels cohesive and well-suited to their individual appeals. Plus, the music video is very cool (and anxiety-producing…)
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I liked the chorus quite a bit but more could’ve been done with the verses. In a contrast, I love it when idol bands go angsty giving their version of ‘tough’.
The album is quite varied too with the I tro building great atmosphere followed by the title. AuRoRa chugs on with a great groove and logo continues this in an interesting way.
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*intro
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Ah, I love ONEWE and I’m very happy with this comeback. Their voices work so well together. I can’t wait to listen to the entire album.
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I spent a lot of the song questioning wether my computer audio was working because this song sounded like it was a bit muted-I kept checking my volume and lo and behold it was normal. Rain to Be is just like that. The song isn’t minimalist or restrained in any way but it has that dampened quality (which works wonderfully with the visual of the rising water). I absolutely see how this is like End of Spring’s dark twin and I’m absolutely in love with it. The guitar ONF this time around especially during the chorus really elevated the song and I’m so so glad Cya has pulled back on the autotune rap verses because Onewe’s songs sound so much better without them. See guys you can have a rap verse that has the same tempo and instrumental as the rest of the song. This is another stand out from Onewe and it will definitely be on repeat for a while.
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Agreed on all points, in particular regarding the rap verse. The inclusion of rap is one area where idol bands tend to distinguish themselves from standard rock bands, and I’m totally in favor of it, but I find too much vocal processing stands out in the wrong way. This one really hit the sweet spot.
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I think I am the opposite as I don’t like their songs like End of Spring but love their stuff like Parting and A Book of Memory. So this is right up my street.
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This might be the first Onewe title track I was confused as heck. I don’t know about you guys, but the song’s arrangement bothered me to how over the place it is, making it sound as if it was messy or something. The vocals are great as always, as expected from Yonghoon annd Dongmyeong, and the melody is nicely constructed as well that it didn’t feel flat at all. The build from start to end felt rushed though, but they managed to redeem it with that climax at the end.
What bothered me is that it doesn’t sound like a band, even if there’s a hint of Onewe in the style. Growing up listening to rock bands, it was a bit of a turn off when it feels more electronica than instruments (the reason why I listen to the rock version of End of Spring). Overall, it’s enjoyable at best, but I don’t see myself revisiting a lot. I’ll rate this a solid 8.
Their bside Logo and Cosmos sound more Onewe to me than the title track itself ooofff
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My friend and I were watching the mv together, and the only thing we could think about was the amps, guitars, mics although it was a very cool visual
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Me too! I think I found that more anxiety inducing than the idea of drowning. They released a bts where DM explained that he was sacrificing his old keytar (translated as shoulder piano, which I found hilarious) and they gave it a semi-serious goodbye.
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Oh, I kind of dig this. The last minute or so is especially nice, though I think I need to pop my good headphones on and give it another listen to really know how exactly I feel about the song as a whole (my penchant for skipping around strikes again!). I do wish the little guitar solo extended into the last chorus — I really don’t think you can go wrong with a little bit of electric guitar show-offery in your song’s climax. The video stresses me out, though! Please don’t do that to your instruments, kids.
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Electric guitar incorporated in almost any song(at the right place) = song instantly elevated
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Seriously!
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I love the chorus, but the verses definitely couldn’t find a solid place. Even the climax should’ve kept up the electric guitar to really amp it up. Not bad, but could’ve been better.
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Something I’m thinking about with all the idol band releases this week is how nice it is that bands seem to be allowed to distribute vocals to the people whose voices sound the best in the song. It seems silly to me when fans insist that the fifth, sixth, or tenth best singer in an idol group should get as many lines as the main vocalists, even when those members have clearly been included because of their dancing, variety presence, or appeal to a foreign audience.
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This gem popped up in my youtube suggestions this morning.
*sigh*
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