One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Promise (EXO 2014) (from Love Me Right – 2015) Despite its title, Promise (EXO 2014) was released in the middle of 2015 as part of the group’s Love Me Right repackage album. The track blurs the line between ballad and mid-tempo, borrowing … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Playboy (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) Gifted to EXO by SHINee’s Jonghyun, Playboy carries all of his melodic and production quirks. As such, it seems better suited to a solo Jonghyun performance than EXO, but it does allow them … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Peter Pan (from XOXO / Growl – 2013) Like its title might suggest, Peter Pan is one of the most lightweight pop confections in EXO’s arsenal. But, with a discography as dense as theirs, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The song’s … Continue reading
I often hesitate to use the word “underrated,” because it can mean different things to different people. But, when you compare quality of discography to chart and public success, Rainbow have got to be one of K-pop’s most under-appreciated groups. When they disbanded in 2016, many lamented the end of an era. But, few seemed … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Ooh La La La (from Don’t Mess Up My Tempo / Love Shot – 2018) When Ooh La La La was released last year, it was heralded as the “sexy track” from EXO’s Don’t Mess Up My Tempo album. While this approach … Continue reading
IN2IT’s Run Away popped up on a random shuffle the other day and I realized that I had honestly forgotten about the song. This might sound like a put down, but as the track played, I found my ears lured to its rock-infused dance beat. I couldn’t quite place who the performer was (which probably … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! On The Snow (from Sing For You – 2015) On The Snow is an amiable little fellow, groovy and enjoyable in the moment but pretty forgettable thereafter. Its warm, brassy chorus contains plenty of good cheer for the holidays, incorporating sleigh bells … Continue reading
Since their debut last year, Nature have gone on to develop a quirky, off-kilter sound that sets them apart from other rookie groups. Fans seem to be taking notice, bringing us to the release of their first mini album. Their last comeback I’m So Pretty was an unexpected highlight of the summer, harnessing the power … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! My Turn To Cry (from Miracles In December – 2013) My Turn To Cry is tangentially related to the holidays by nature of the album it stems from, but at its heart the song is a typical EXO ballad, riding on sentiment … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! My Answer (from Exodus / Love Me Right – 2015) My Answer is as classic a pop ballad as you’re going to get from EXO. Performed by Baekhyun, D.O. and Suho, the track offers plenty of space to stretch their vocals. With … Continue reading
Rookies 1TEAM have earned fans across the K-pop landscape, but for me they’ve been hampered by their choice of collaborators. All three of their 2019 title tracks have been composed by production team Devine Channel. While there are some songwriters that I naturally jibe with (ahem… Sweetune), I can’t get into most of Devine Channel’s … Continue reading
2019 has seen more idol group debuts than any year I can remember, making it difficult for new acts to stand out. BVNDIT have managed to find a burgeoning fan-base despite a sound that isn’t particularly unique. The girls have worked with top-tier songwriters like MosPick and Flow Blow, but their style has remained generically … Continue reading
When E’Dawn left Pentagon and Cube Entertainment, it seemed like a career-killer for both him and his former band. At the time, he was arguably Pentagon’s most well-known member, yet not established enough with the general public to ensure solo success. But soon after, PSY scooped up both him and HyunA as artists under his … Continue reading
If I’m being completely honest, the first few months of PSY’s P Nation have been a dull disappointment. The agency has delivered a string of digital singles, none of which has pushed their artists in new or interesting directions. For all the hype, P Nation feels like business as usual. If anyone is ready to … Continue reading
B.I.G have been on hiatus for over two years. In that time, a member has enlisted, another member has been added, and the guys struggled through the failed opportunity that was KBS’s The Unit. Although I’m an eternal optimist, I’d long since given up hope that B.I.G would ever return to the idol landscape in … Continue reading
Back when I used to have more interest in UP10TION, I never imagined a future where we would get a Wei (Lee Jinhyuk) solo album. That’s no dig on him, but other members were clearly being positioned for more popularity with the general public. However, I couldn’t have foreseen the immense popularity of Produce 101, … Continue reading
Earlier in the year, fueled by my frustration over Golden Child’s long hiatus, I compiled a list of post-2016 debuts who had been out of the spotlight for the longest time. Poor Victon landed at number four. Nostalgic Night (그리운 밤) acts as their first title track in over seventeen months – a lifetime in … Continue reading
Second chances are rare in K-pop, but for four of Pristin’s ex-members (Eunwoo, Minkyeung, Gyeongwan and Yaebin), a new opportunity has emerged in the form of girl group HINAPIA. However, this debut comes from a much smaller entertainment company, lacking the industry clout (and budget) of Pledis Entertainment. Nevertheless, Drip arrives with its fair share … Continue reading
Over the past few years, my connection to GFriend’s music has started to fracture. From 2015 to 2017, they released some of my absolute favorite K-pop songs in recent memory, culminating in the flawless trilogy of Rough, Navillera and Fingertip. Since then, the group has lost too much of the power from their “powerful innocence” … Continue reading
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with EXO’s A-Z reviews here! Lights Out (from Universe – 2017) Ending EXO’s 2017 winter album in theatrical fashion, Lights Out is as close to a torch song as the group has given us. Its impassioned melody rises and falls over a piano instrumental. Lights Out is … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 