A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

It always bugs me when a group has a perfect seasonal hit yet chooses to release it at a different point in the year. Cliche isn’t even the title track of BOYNEXTDOOR’s new deluxe version of their album Home (it should be!), but it would have made a killer single in… say… early May or June?

For me, the best BOYNEXTDOOR songs are the ones that take advantage of their character-rich vocal tones. A shout-along, gimmicky club track like Animal doesn’t really hit those marks, but Cliche gives them a chance to croon and vamp and offer plenty of personality. Better yet, its bright synth and funky rhythm guitar offer an irresistable playground to support their natural verve. This is the kind of splashy “let’s put on a show!” affair that always appeals to me. I guess I just love to hear a bit of effort. I’m even more impressed by the variety of vocalization this relatively short track delivers. So many K-pop songs these days sound like one generic voice performing the entire song, but Cliche is a cornocopia of varying tones and approaches and is all the better for it.

Grade: B