There’s a certain type of song that’s hard to rate on this blog. It’s a piece of music that sounds objectively good but would never come close to being part of my own playlists. Such was the case with Miyeon’s pre-release Reno. I appreciated the direction she went with the track even if the music itself wasn’t for me. Title track Say My Name is more straightforward in some ways but ultimately lands in the same boat.

Fall and winter used to be the seasons for K-pop ballads. Idols don’t often release slower songs anymore no matter what the season, but Say My Name‘s reserved nature fits the season well. The track has too much percussion to act as a full-on ballad, but bears a similar sentiment — even climaxing in a whopper of a power note. It’s something you could hear as a drama OST or on adult contemporary radio stations (if K-pop has such a thing). Miyeon’s given a chance to stretch her vocals here, but the song itself is rather straightforward to the point of feeling forgettable.

Rather than a ballad, “coffeehouse” fare may be a better comparison for Say My Name. The production is beefed up more than a traditional coffeeshop strum-along, but it has that same pleasant, “offend no one” air about it that usually wafts in and out of my ear with little effect. Say My Name‘s lilting chorus is nice and compliments Miyeon’s tone well, but I can’t see myself listening to this again unless I need some mild background music.

Grade: C