Back when TXT debuted with the excellent Crown, it seemed they had years of bright, bubbly pop ahead of then. Instead, the group quickly veered into more combative territory. Their first comeback enhanced the rock angst and – apart from one disco-infused “minisode” in 2020 – they’ve stayed pretty faithful to that template. This paid off big time with last year’s 0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You) – a track that just grew stronger as time went on. New single Good Boy Gone Bad amplifies the guitars even more, fusing them to an aggressive hip-hop beat.
The song’s production is almost perfect. It’s focused and tight, bringing plenty of drive and grit that pushes the melody along with great synergy. It emphasizes the most important moments and gives the verses plenty of punch. The lack of a killer guitar solo feels like a missed opportunity, but I like how the entire track is roughed up with distortion. Vocal chants add anthemic heft in a cheesy way, and their repetition compliments Good Boy Gone Bad’s earnest spirit.
Melodically, Good Boy Gone Bad wrings everything it can from a very simple hook. It’s a bit too repetitive, begging for a robust post-chorus that never comes. But, I’d be lying if I said this refrain wasn’t already stuck in my head. Surprisingly, the verses offer a much more dynamic sound. The first verse thrives upon a rapid-fire, rhythmic delivery while the second goes harder with a tortured cry underlined by tense guitar. TXT totally sell the vibe, their vocals impassioned and expressive.
Merging Good Boy Gone Bad’s plentiful strengths with a couple slight disappointments, I’m rating the song the same as my initial score for 0X1=LOVESONG. That one is on the cusp of becoming a “perfect ten.” I don’t think Good Boy Gone Bad will have quite as impressive an arc, but I can see it becoming more addictive with time.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
… I really just wanted to see what Nick would say about this one, since TXT is one his faves.
For me, its another dark theme one that has the same effect as almost everyone that precedes it. Does kpop think we need a complete set of one of these from every group? And yet, this one took 10 people to write!
My humble opinion, mid-7’s at best.
Darling daughter has played P1Harmony “Siren” a surprising number of times. The lengths of the segments and chromatic progression for both songs share a lot in common. The whee-oh whee-oh’s resemble the whoah-wooo-oh’s here. You might like “Siren” instead as it has a few more charms. ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2wSOL_hMQY
LikeLiked by 4 people
Obviously this would never happen, but I would love it if one of these songs with an NCT of writers and producers had everyone on the list make their own version of the track. I just can’t imagine that cobbling together a bunch of different ideas is better than what even the best of them could come up with alone.
LikeLiked by 2 people
An interesting proposition, because I think all / most in the SM songwriting stable are staying well away from dark theme, but what if they gave it a try once, hacked something together, what would it sound like. But instead of dark theme, they are stuck in the every-NCT-sub-group-ever style for all the NCTs rut, but that is a rant for another thread.
(I’ve become hooked on all the NCT Dream Ridin and Rollin remixes lately. Song is remarkably flexible. It is also a fit of nostalgia for my old 12″ single days.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like Siren a lot! It’s one of the better dark bg songs in this generation. The “wiung wiung” (siren sound) and “wiheom wiheom” (danger) hooks are simple but clever.
LikeLiked by 2 people
GOOD BOY GONE BAD GOOD BOOY OGNNE BAD OGGODB BOY OGNE BAD
LikeLiked by 7 people
That chorus has grown on me so much since I first heard it man. God I love TXT.
LikeLiked by 5 people
The kind of angst music I can actually listen to. Not sure if anything can compare to their last 2 comebacks but this is still good. And they’re not skrrrrrrrt-booooom-ing at us! Yay!
Interested to see if you’ll like any of the bsides! I’m really loving Opening Sequence and Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go for Buried Treasure!
LikeLiked by 2 people
This 100%! I almost pre-ordered the entire album just for the snippet of this one in the highlight medley. I think the chorus has one of my favorite melodies ever.
LikeLike
I’m in love with their new comeback. The track slaps really hard, in my opinion. However, I’ve got one thing to complain about. The final part of the chorus sounds lazy due to the song’s name being repeated for a few times. Anyway, this one was great for me. Rating is about right.
LikeLiked by 4 people
I’ll admit I’m not really feeling this one right away but my music opinions often take a few listens to form. It took me several weeks to love Frost for example. I’ll revisit this when I have something real to say. Meanwhile I’m going to listen to the Black Keys because the opening riff of GBGB reminded me of the opening riff of Lonely Boy.
Also I’ve never really thought of TXT’s concept as “bright” per se, but whimsical. I didn’t see Run Away as a departure from Crown like some did because whimsy can skew bright or dark or anything. I’ll admit I miss the crazy long song titles. I thought they were endearing but I’m glad show MCs will have a break from them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Songs like these are when you know that there’s still a lot of potential in the noisy boy group bluster genre – all it needs is a re-invention. The production here just sounds so much more aggressive than any amount of synths in all those songs ranked 6s and 7s. But, the melody itself is really lackluster – especially the chorus. There’s only so much of hook you can bring out a single sentence repeated over and over. Yeah, it’s stuck in my head, but it’s kind of annoying. I give this an 8.5 (7,10,8,9)
LikeLiked by 3 people
For some reason, txt despite their excellent music, bores me. Can’t figure out why. I could listen to their music but I barely bother to check out their live performances and even though, they’re coming to tour nearby, I don’t know if I will even bother to go. I should be bothered since they are one of my most listened kpop group on my Spotify. Hope this sum up what i think of this song.
LikeLike
I agree with this (including not going to see them even though they’re performing nearby). Their music is very well done, their performances top-notch, choreographies solid and inventive, yet there’s something missing for me and I don’t know what it is. Maybe the capacity to surprise? I feel this way but to a lesser degree about Enhypen too, so maybe it’s a 4th gen Hybe bg thing for me.
LikeLike
Probably a fourth gen problem. Almost all of them are lacking in stage presence. No charisma of the 1st, 2nd and third gen idols. Example I’ve : fantastic songs but their stage makes me sleep literally. Not an ounce of charisma on the stage when they’re on it. Hype has nothing extraordinary going for them except bts and seventeen.
LikeLike
Yeah, I had the same problem with TXT before too, though that changed after watching their Showterview with Jessi……
LikeLiked by 1 person
usually everything this group releases is “just ok” and this one isn’t even that.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I didn’t particularly like 0X1=LOVESONG so I suppose it’s not surprising I don’t really like this one either, although like the previous comeback I safely put this in “didn’t really work for me even if I generally like the genre of music.” Mainly the repetitive chorus, because the beat is pretty nice. Still, something about the vocals and the melody just don’t hit right for me. It’s kind of a similar issue to MAISON. I don’t like that song either and both songs feel like they come from the same family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I completely agree that a killer electric guitar would’ve sealed the deal. I wasn’t feeling at first but a few good listens in got me hooked in an instant. I have a soft spot for rock so I have come to like this one a lot despite the missed opportunities. With that being said It’s an easy 9 for me (9,9,9,9).
LikeLiked by 1 person
*electric guitar solo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not so super crazy about this one (can’t hear “bad” and “boy” in the same sentence without rolling my eyes), but halfway through my first listen I got super excited. I feel like I’m hearing their voices for the first time. Goodbye, weird vocal effects! Never come back!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Kind of surprised by this review! Imo this suffers quite a bit from “scattered disconnected verse disease” that so many kpop tracks these days have. It’s TXT so I like it still but I didn’t find it as compelling as their past attempts (though it is probably still better than LOSER=LOVER whose cheesy English aged very poorly for me).
LikeLike
As much as I wish the chorus was less repetitive (and the phrase repeated was less silly), I can’t help myself and I still like this. If you insist on doing a song with this leather-clad-bad-boy vibe – despite it being my current nemesis in kpop boy groups – this is the way to do it right! Super fun, excellent production, commitment to the bit. Also the mini as a whole is pretty good!
LikeLiked by 3 people
While I would have loved if Taehyun’s high note from the teaser had been added around the last chorus to give the song a bit extra oomph instead of being injected into the background, the track is a solid 9 from me. Just my taste and the “good boy gone bad, good boy gone bad, good boy gone bad, good boy gone baaaaddd” line has been stuck in my head all day, a headbanger for sure. And this is coming from someone who typically swerves towards lighter, brighter sounds! Something about it is just so raw and rave-worthy. Can’t wait to see this at a concert. (On that note, when I drive to work today, my neighbors are gonna know about this song cause I will BLAST it)
Onto the rest of the album, dare I say they’re all amazing! My review for each:
1. Opening Sequence: Knew I’d love this song from the album preview and it absolutely delivered. The song kept the energy up the entire and I’m obsessed with Yeonjun’s “I cry” line. Taehyun shined in his lines and Soobin’s falsetto stole the show. And the bridge, the instrumental?? Insane. Score: 8.5/10
3. Trust Fund Baby: Beautiful ballad. The members sound exceptionally good here, and their vocal skills shine. Dreamy, fairly sentimental, with a piano instrumental throughout that adds to its fairy-like aura. Overall, another stellar track with Taehyun definitely taking the spotlight. Added to my driving playlist! Score: 8/10
4. Lonely Boy: Hueningkai and Yeonjun ate this up. The switch from Hueningkai’s lines with the acoustic guitar as the main instrument to Yeonjun’s trap-boosted rap parts was exciting to say the least. And Yeonjun fits this tone of rap so much! Like this song very very much. Score: 7.75/10
5. Thursdays Child Has Far To Go: Favorite song on the album. From the beginning, it lays down an amazing harmony and then goes into an upbeat retro beat. Like if Ghosting and Everlasting Shine had a kid. Funky, bright, get up and dance song. Love love it. This will be on repeat till further notice. Or until I get sick of it from over-listening! Score: 9.75/10
Overall, the album is hit after hit. Cohesive and I heard someone say the songs represent the 5 stages of grief? Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. And it makes sense, the themes of the songs fit! And it might be txt’s most thematic piece of work. It’s such a treat to listen to from start to finish. It’s one of those albums where if you like one track, you’re highly likely to enjoy the rest of the tracks as well.
(Also, I’m a long time lurker, first time poster. Hey hey! I just felt very compelled to leave my thoughts.)
LikeLiked by 5 people
I thought Taehyun’s high note from the teaser is in the final chorus (2:54), but it’s very faint in the background. I think you can hear it if you listen to the song with headphones.
LikeLike
Oh yeah, I hear it in the background under the main vocals, but I just wish it was showcased… sigh he sounded so good too.
LikeLike
Really love this at first listen. It fits in well with their previous 2 comebacks, making a nice punchy trilogy. The guitars are great at setting the mood right away. I really adore the slower, almost-haunting prechorus, reminds me of early MCR. I have to wonder if Gerard Way knows the impact he has had on kpop….
LikeLiked by 1 person
This song was good! Can’t say I have it on repeat (still reeling from their release of Run Away), but it’s a solid comeback in my opinion. It’s a great song for promotions and the choreography is wonderful too. This feels like the proper graduation from their earlier material. My only qualm is the rest of the album. I wasn’t a fan of any song other than this and Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go (which is definitely on repeat). Not disappointed, though. It’s nice to have a group like TXT who’s consistently released good, enjoyable music on all scales.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Even though I feel that the chorus needs a bit more strong melody, this is a very solid track. I knew rock fits TXT very well, and I could see this track becoming legendary in the future like 0X1=LOVESONG was.
I feel that Thursday’s Child Has Far To Go will be your buried treasure. It sounds like the melancholic version of Ghosting. Also, I noticed how the chord progression and the instrumental for that are similar to that of Seventeen’s “Rock With You” released a few months ago.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, someone did a mashup of Thursday’s Child and Rock With You!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Despite my general aversion to concepts like this, I think I do like this one, really love the guitar. Definitely not a repeat of what happened with Can’t You See Me, which was also TXT going dark after two great title tracks. Though I do have to see how the repetitiveness of the chorus ages for me…the phrase “good boy gone bad” as a whole makes me roll my eyes and so hearing it literally on repeat is not great 😂 Will have to listen to the mini later!
LikeLiked by 2 people
TXT quite literally never fails to impress me. I have yet to be disappointed by any of their title tracks or albums. I know some people hate the comparison but I cant help but see some qualities of a younger BTS when I watch them perform. This concept is the 2022 version of songs like danger or boy in luv. Ive been a fan since debut and they just keep growing better and better. They might be doing a darker/bad boy concept, but they’re able to embody it authentically and not make it seem like something their company made them do lol.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yeah I don’t get this song, not for me
LikeLike
I don’t feel like this is one of their stronger albums though it grows on you. The title of frost’s vein with more aggressive guitars. Yes, a guitar solo would’ve been great, but when have they last been used in these style of title tracks in kpop? Anyway, I think this song could’ve been better with a better chorus and a more dramatic prechorus.
LikeLike
This is a really weak link in their discography. I love the rock influence that is sweeping K-Pop, but this sort of just paid a token tribute to that before slipping into generic dark bad boy K-Pop fare for me. I can hear what they are going for, but the vocals are just too smoothed out for the theme. The chorus is… whiny, and not in a good way. There’s no part that really sound like it grabs you and won’t let you forget the song. It’s one of those songs that leaves me wanting more in a bad way, since that “more” isn’t something you can get on a relisten. Mid 7’s for me. I do like Thursday’s Child quite a lot from the B-sides.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As I accidentally posted on the wrong review:
I normally like my pop-rock, I enjoy the riffing, but this song never really takes off for me. The melody is way too limited. It’s a damn shame.
I just don’t see this anywhere near 0x1=LOVESONG, which is phenomenal and threatens Run Away as my favorite of theirs. Low 8s at best.
LikeLike