1. The Stranger // 2. Night Tale // 3. Nothing But A Stranger (On Team) // 4. Anti Hero (Off Team) // 5. Good Place // 6. Collab
NOTHING BUT A STRANGER
Most ONF albums feature at least one ballad/mid-tempo, and My Identity is no different. This time, it comes courtesy of the group’s “On Team,” consisting of members Hyojin, E-Tion and Minkyun. That’s a vocal powerhouse right there, making Nothing But A Stranger a real treat for those seeking a showcase of their talents.
With this said, I feel like the song comes too early in the album. Ballads are tricky things that can stall momentum if you’re not careful. There’s a reason they’re often included as the final (or close to final) track on a pop album. When it comes to ONF ballads, 2021’s I.T.I.L.U remains a high water mark I can’t help but compare Nothing But A Stranger to, but rather than go full-on musical theater bombast the guys have taken a jazzier approach this time. Having seen their tour last year, it’s clear they enjoy performing this style of material and that sense of joy comes through with each vocal flourish.
Given my preference for uptempo bangers, this was never going to be my favorite track. However, I can appreciate the skill that goes into it and their silky smooth performance compensates for the drowsy tempo and somewhat rote melodies. If nothing else, the song certainly establishes an evocative mood. Fun fact: this is the only song on the album not composed/produced by their main collaborator Hwang Hyun.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
i know this is not related, but what were the songs that you have gave an instant 10 to when you first reviewed them? i’d love links pls 🙂
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Has he ever rated a song 10 on first listen? Probably not, which is a wise choice, imo. How many times have I been wildly enthusiastic about a song or an album, only to later change my mind about it? Anyway, there’s this: https://thebiaslist.com/tag/rating-10/
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But then there’s this. And I wonder if Nick still stands by this rating? LOL https://thebiaslist.com/2022/01/30/buried-treasure-the-rampage-jump-van-halen-cover/
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i don’t think any other group except Gfriend recieved a 10 3+ times by nick…
unless if im wrong? but it looks like gfriend’s discography is legendary
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I would guess Infinite has the most 10’s, if you went through song-by-song: https://thebiaslist.com/features/k-pop-a-z/
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I counted 7 10’s for Infinite, but I didn’t go song-by-song, just the songs I thought probably got 10’s, so I could’ve missed a couple more:)
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7 10s??!!! how have i not heard about this group yet?
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They’re a 2nd gen group (like SHINee, TVXQ, Super Junior, Wonder Girls, 2ne1, Girls’ Generation, etc) – the best gen, imo!:)
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which one do u think is the worst gen so far then?
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It’s subjective, but my favorites are the 2nd and 3rd generation (if we’re in the 4th generation now, which I think we are)
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We’re in fifth gen now, amazingly! (started in 2023)
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Then that’s my vote for worst! LOL. (My favorites of this new gen are NewJeans & Fifty Fifty, and both are pretty much finished, at least in their classic form. Can they survive and flourish – as NJZ and Ablume respectively? Time will tell.)
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See, my least favorite was 4th gen because it was the height of noise music and anti-choruses, at least for boy groups. I’ve got a slate of boy groups I quite like in this new generation, but I agree about girl groups. Fifth gen is the least interested I’ve ever been in girl group music, and I want that to change so badly because my listening habits used to be much more even.
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uh, newjenas and fifty fifty are 4th gen, 2023 onwards is 5thgen lol
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I don’t generally give 10’s right off the bat because I don’t believe a song can be a “10” within hours of hearing it. Songs need to grow into that for me. I need to know how they’ll age and play in the long run. From my recollection, there are only two exceptions in the history of the blog, and both have specific circumstances that made an instant “10” more realistic:
Sexy Zone – Run (I’d heard most of this song for months before the full thing was officially released, so I already knew how it would age)
The Rampage – Jump (this is a cover of a “10” song from my childhood that actually improves upon the original imo so it was pretty easy to give it a perfect rating right off the bat)
Usually, the highest a song earns on an initial review is 9.5, which means I’m ridiculously excited about it. Most (but not all) of these go on to climb up to a “10” eventually.
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speaking of 9.5s, i saw your review for happiness by red velvet, and you rated it a 9.5. do you still hold that rating?
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A STRAIGHT UP 10??!!! i need to go listen to it rn.
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