It seems that OnlyOneOf are no more, but in their place we have new group QQQ, comprised of members KB and Nine and former member Love. Usually, a splintering like this would be cause for worry, but OnlyOneOf were well-known for their self-composed music and the masterminds behind it are in this group.
K-pop could really use some new ideas, and KB and Nine feel like idols who could push things forward. But first, we need to get the pesky re-debut/rebrand out of the way. Unsurprisingly, Uncool feels like it could’ve fit on any OnlyOneOf album, though I don’t think it would have been the title track. The ambition feels more muted here, as the guys opt for a relatively straightforward rock song. They deliver it with a punky flair, though there are too many vocal effects for my liking. And rather than build toward a standout chorus, most of Uncool is simply stylish chanting. This works well enough for a song within this genre, but doesn’t leave much of an impression beyond the overall aesthetic.
I don’t want to saddle QQQ with unfair expectations, but it’s impossible not to compare their music to OnlyOneOf’s discography given how fantastic their history was. The comparison doesn’t help them here, as Uncool feels like a blip on the radar compared to something more sprawling and game-changing like libidO and dOpamine. I hope they can get back to that level of excitement on future releases.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
yeah its definitely a pop punk song if I ever seen one.
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I’m rooting hard for these guys to succeed, but have to agree, this is fine but underwhelming.
It occurred to me (especially listening to “QtoresQ” and idly wondering how it would have sounded in Sunggyu’s and Woohyun’s hands) I don’t think any of them (either these three or in the seven-member lineup of OOO) have a really strong, attention-focusing voice. Which is not to say they’re bad singers! But past OOO songs compensated a bit for everyone having similar ranges by adding some variation as to who was singing in what part of their range (for example, in “libidO,” the lower mutterings in the chorus and Mill’s rap) or leaning into those ranges in unexpected ways (I still love how atmospheric the chorus of “Angel” is, just by staying low) or compensating with really heavy instrumentation (“Sage,” “d0pamine,” you could even point to “Be Free” for this one). I think the guys here were trying to go the last path, with contrast between the guitars and their smoother voices, but the execution’s not quite there.
Also I’m worried about the marketing hill they have to climb. OOO was pitched to a very specific BL-interested audience, and that audience definitely still exists but it was never clear how the members themselves felt about this pitch. If they want to give it up, thank goodness they have the power to do so now, but what script are they going to run in its place? The “Uncool” video was too generic to remind viewers that OOO had its arty flourishes.
(To get long-winded for a second: if you just went by this song and video, you’d have no idea why people have said things like “OnlyOneOf walked so that XLOV could twerk.” And I don’t think the QQQ guys should try and be a second XLOV–that’s not their style! But XLOV, much as their music hasn’t clicked with me, definitely conveys a certain creative energy at work. The irony is, we know there’s creative energy at work here too: Nine and KB have been working their butts off. But that’s not coming through in the finished product so far.)
Anyway. I’m curious what you think of “rainbow shade,” the most interesting song on the mini to my ears.
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Agree with most of what you say, adding that the quasi-punk area of kpop is getting crowded and this song just doesn’t stand out from the others, including a few other small groups also releasing today. They all blend into one mid millennial angst sanitized spotify list.
I am still rooting for these guys to succeed.
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