TXT are about to release their third Japanese studio album, making them well-established within the territory. Their albums have featured a mix of new material and Japanese re-recordings of Korean tracks, and this time we’ve got a proper lead single as well. Can’t Stop pulls from an addictive 80s sound and offers a peak at potential unfulfilled.
Apart from one major issue, this is my favorite TXT track in a long time. The production is perfectly suited to my taste, utilizing slapping percussion and rhythm guitar to brilliant effect. As production techniques have improved over the years, many artists have refined their soundscape to become more detailed, but I’ve missed hearing heavy drum beats targeting the mid-range. This approach is so 80s — even more than the many synthwave nostalgia plays we’ve gotten over the past decade. Can’t Stop pulses with bright funk energy and that momentum is enough to pull its serviceable melodies over the line.
So, what’s keeping me from rating this a full “9”? It’s the damn length! At two minutes, twenty-four seconds, there is absolutely no time to spare. It’s possible (though difficult) to make such a slight runtime work. Earlier this week, TWS’s Overdrive lasted only twelve seconds longer yet still felt like a full, satisfying song. In the case of Can’t Stop, we get a verse/chorus/verse/chorus structure. Then, the song simply… ends. Where’s the extended dance break? Bridge? Final chorus? Payoff?? It’s honestly infuriating, especially when the track has been building up so well to that point. I can’t in good conscious rate this higher even though I absolutely adore the parts we have. The song is simply incomplete. Someone needs to work on an extended mix, stat!
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
WHOA NICK. THIS WAS GENUINELY UNEXPECTED. I thought it was an 8.25 at best tbh. its just good. I have the same problems, enough with the 2 minute songs
I seriously BEG you to listen to SSS, off the album. Its such a unique song.
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Probably would’ve been a 9+ from me with another minute and a proper climax/finale. It’s so frustrating.
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and it bugs me because its almost always the title tracks that get hit by this dumb curse
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Gee… I wonder why? *cough cough* streaming *cough cough choke* spotify
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Back For More meets j-pop! I absolutely like it but the length is a shame. at this point HYBE has no excuses.
the new b-sides on the album are really good as well.
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I feel you! This is how I felt for Over the Moon and Beautiful Strangers. Once I get over that fact, I embrace them and love them for what they are…good songs that could’ve been great😞.
About this song, my issue is that it drags. I kind of like where it’s going but whatever it is that I was expecting to arrive never does. Maybe an awesome outro would’ve fix this issue for me, but it’s so short that it leaves me very unsatisfied😤. Flat 8!
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Honestly, I’ve been practising music production independently and it’s just a really really small side hustle right now (10-15 minutes per day). But if I was a music producer, I’d say my works will mostly reflect the structure of GFRIEND – NAVILLERA.
Opening percussion, loud bass guitar, synths and strings as the introduction.
Three-parter chorus and a synth breakdown as post-chorus.
Instant build from the second verse with no time to waste and a different soundscape for the second chorus (to ensure that it doesn’t sound repetitive) where it gains steam until the post-chorus hits and additional vocals and harmonies join in (Yuju’s vocals lacing Eunha’s lines in second chorus).
No trap bridge and energy dips, but an extended one that intensifies every second with jagged synths and thrilling beats. This will continue with a guitar showcase solo that segues into the last chorus with new strings arrangements and performances (subtle in the original song). When the song is nearing the end, I will introduce two soaring power notes that climax and explode (and again, with a different strings arrangement). Finally, this will all crystallise with a knockout outro.
This is my ideal structure of a song that makes the listening experience rich, satisfying, and dynamic.
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happy for you..?
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I’m still learning how to layer and mix things and I barely even did 12 bars LOL.
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Um… now I want to hear this??
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Sorry, I don’t understand this question haha.
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This is the best TXT song in a while for me as well, but we’re veering dangerously close to 90-second anime intros as the full song length it’s scaring me.
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These days, it’s 4 minutes of streaming music (2 songs), followed by 5 minutes of commercials, then 4 more minutes of 2 songs, then 5 minutes of commercials. We abandoned radio for this? Or if I’m watching it on Youtube, it’s 2 commericals, a 2 minute song, then another commercial.
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Okay, here’s what I’ve got for an extended version. Took some of the pre-release teasers to create an instrumental break and added a final chorus. I’m still not happy with some of the transitions, but at least the song feels complete now. Damn, HYBE. Your fans shouldn’t have to edit your artist’s songs!
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https://x.com/txtarchivee/status/1980599753407885821
Dropping this here in case you wanted to see this. They’re performing with a live band and it sounds *amazing*
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I think its actually pretty good. Short but good, Strangely wears itself out by that 2 and a half minute mark anyway, though it seems like it shouldn’t.
There are small parts of the vocal melody that are expansive, until they dial it back to the monotone chorus. In theory this works great – SHINee Lucifer! – in practice here I think it restrains the ambition. Its like they didn’t think hard enough about. Usually the monotone is used to create tension, but here I am neither hearing tension nor release. It sounds like it should sound like it should work, the expansive verse, the constrained chorus, but somehow it just doesn’t work.
Also, the synth setting, the vocal timbres, and the resolution of each line in the chorus (meaning the final three chords) remind me on ONF “Complete” from debut era ONF. So earnest. I just can’t unhear it. Its not exact but close enough to make me want to go listen to that song instead.
https://youtu.be/jcX930nTk7U?list=RDjcX930nTk7U
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Aside from the length (I’m also a big ‘make it longer!’ type of fan) I LOVE this, it’s so enjoyable and doesn’t waste time to show what it can do. I doubt this is signalling a new direction but it’s always nice to hear some upbeat txt pop.
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Their Japanese song always have a very unique feeling. It reminds me of words like “band”, “youth”, “struggle”, “passion”, and “Shonen”. I love this retro music style so much.
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Yeah it just feels so impactful with their delivery too, I feel like I’m becoming a bigger fan of their Japanese material nowadays lol
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This song deserves to be longer. I also enjoyed Where Do You Go? & SSS off the album.
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Did you listen to my extended mix? (in the comments)
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I just finished listening to it, you did a good job extending it!
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