Review

SHINee HARD: In-Depth Album Review – Insomnia

SHINee - Hard


1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity


INSOMNIA

Hard concludes with two slower, moodier tracks. In my mind, Insomnia (불면증) is the stronger of the two. After a suite of more upbeat bangers, this is an excellent chance for SHINee to stretch their vocals. Their harmonies are gorgeous as always. A nice bassline pops up here and there, often complimented by jazzy chords that support the group’s airy blend. I especially like the falsetto-kissed melodic flourish that punctuates each chorus.

In contrast, Insomnia‘s verses don’t work for me. I strongly dislike the shouted rap during verse one, while verse two feels a little aimless compared to the focus of the choruses. With some slight changes, Insomnia could be a late-album standout. It certainly casts a strong mood.

 Hooks 8
 Production 7
 Longevity 8
 Bias 7
 RATING 7.5

Grade: C

9 thoughts on “SHINee HARD: In-Depth Album Review – Insomnia

  1. I love the bounce in the rhythm, and those glorious post-chorus solo lines are my highlight of the song. The rap in the verses is what tanks Insomnia for me and is, thus far, keeping it off of my playlists. The chorus is wonderful though, and I’m a big sucker for the piano sprinkled throughout.

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    • i’m with you on insomnia, it’s in my top 4 favourite tracks of this album. apart from hard & juice (which i’ve grown to enjoy), for me, hard is actually one of their most cohesive albums sound-wise. in a way, it feels like a marriage between 1 of 1 and the story of light though probably feels a bit subdued. i love it though, and i think it sits nicely in their diverse discography

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      • I think both are true: I like the album a lot, but I also agree it is not their best. It is just that average/slightly above average SHINee is still better than a lot of music out there.

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  2. I whole heartedly disagree with this review..This album is So Awesome. Seeing Shinee reinvent again is always wonderful that is why they are the Princes of pop
    Love every song on this .they took time and effort to put together another hit album

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  3. ohh, “C”? a bit of a shocker, because I would count Insomnia as one of the stronger tracks on the album. Overall The Feeling/ I Like It,/Sweet Misery/Insomnia really saved this LP for me.

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