There’s a certain kind of song I don’t write much about on this blog. These are usually ballads from established solo acts. Try as I might, I just can’t muster up much to say about most ballads. This isn’t to say someone like Yesung isn’t worthy of critique and praise, but with so many releases arriving every week I must do a certain amount of picking and choosing.

However, Yesung released an entire album today so it feels like I should at least mention his new title track Pedazos. For those who are curious, “pedazos” is the Spanish word for “pieces,” and continuing with that theme, there are pieces of Yesung’s old sound here and fragments of new opportunities. This is still very much a ballad, but it’s a big rock ballad with a more atmospheric approach. Yesung’s vocals are given a hazy filter, causing his performance to feel at once powerful and almost whispered.

I’m not usually a fan of incessant vocal effects, but I appreciate how they’re used throughout here. They give Pedazos a character all its own and add to its gritty, throwback sound. The song doesn’t really come to life until its final moments, when the full band kicks in and the tempo rises considerably. This gives Pedazos a nice sense of climax and payoff. I’m not sure how often I’d return to this (if at all), but I appreciate his willingness to try something a little different.

Grade: C+