The Rose have made a grand return with their first full-length album. It’s a hard-won comeback, arriving on the heels of a legal battle with their former agency. And while I may not have been particularly hyped about it in the beginning, pre-release Childhood caught my ear a few weeks ago. I still think it’s the best song the group has released yet, though it may not have an obvious “title track” sound.
Now that the album has been unveiled, concluding track Sour acts as its main single. This stadium-ready rock energy is what I expect from The Rose. They’ve pretty much perfected the sound, making Sour feel like an easy return. It’s a crowd-pleasing singalong, but doesn’t go beyond that. Soft percussion gives a sense of build – especially during the verses. However, the chorus is a bit underwhelming. There’s not much melodic heft here and the instrumental stalls when it should soar.
In short, Sour ticks all the boxes. That’s what makes it play like comfort food, but it’s also what makes it pass by without landing any sucker punches – emotional or otherwise. Its best moments arrive during the instrumental bridge, when a gorgeous synth texture adds a brief spike of interest. Sour could do with more of these unique touches, as well as a higher tempo and a less repetitive melody. Thankfully, we’ll always have the evocative Childhood to anchor this era of The Rose’s career.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I hate to say this because I’m a big fan of The Rose, but their new album, including this song, seems very quiet and subdued to me. The one song that really stood out for me was Cure, which has some of those old Coldplay-esque touches that their previous songs had. I’m not sure if this is a result of them striking out on their own, so this is really “them,” or just because it’s a post-pandemic meditation.
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Yeah, the whole album has a quiet tone to it that’s different from their previous releases. Judging by the album name, I’m assuming that this is for their fans and themselves who had to suffer ( lawsuits ) and wait for so long.
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I’m so excited because they are the first korean artists I will see live in December
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I was pleasantly surprised when this came up on my Spotify shuffle in the car yesterday. I really like this song. I’m so glad that they’re back ( hopefully for good ). When 2:28 came on, I was really surprised. It added that extra sprinkle onto the song. I would rate this a 10/10. It’s sort of soft but also powerful at the same time. I cannot express how much I love this song.
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maybe they’re a bit in the safe zone but it’s totally my cup of tea
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It’s fine. Not as interesting as Childhood (still don’t know how I feel about that song), but it works for what it is.
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