2013 is pretty much a busy year for SHINee. They released two full albums this year in a short period of time, The Misconceptions of You in February and The Misconceptions of Me in April (check out my reviews of these two albums here and here). They also happened to have their own variety show this year, MBC SHINee's Wonderful Day. This is not including their individual activities, such as Minho being an MC for MBC Music Core, Taemin had his on-screen marriage on variety show, MBC We Got Married (Now, that I think of it, why they are always on MBC?), and Onew acted on a new sitcoms, jTBC Welcome to Noyal Villa.
Beside all of the activities on the above that happened on their motherland, South Korea, SHINee also still continues to expand their music into Japanese land. Onew, Minho, Taemin, Jonghyun, and Key has come a long way from their debut Japanese song, Replay, in 2011 until now, where they has just released their second Japanese album, Boys Meet U (God...I can't with all of those crappy Japanese album and song title from SM Entertainment). The released of their new Japanese album followed by their Arena Tour starting from June 28th, 2013 in Saitama.
Anyway, to keep it short, here is my review about SHINee's newest Japanese album, Boys Meet U.....................
The first track, Password, sounds highly influenced by Japanese band with the domination of strong guitar and drum sounds. Because of that, Password honestly did not sound like a boy group song, it's like a band song. And for me, it was refreshing since SHINee rarely did this type of music. Password is a type of song that will grow on you after you listen to it several times. I thought there is nothing really special from this song, beside the killer beat on 1:00 - 1:21, but it turned out that I am liking it after several listens. In short, Password has done a great job as an opening song. It's strong and enough to leave us want to hear the rest of the album.
Breaking News pretty much screamed SHINee. It's a catchy, engaging, and enjoyable song accompanied with gorgeous voices, funky music, and catch beats that I really really really adore (It's so 90s). This is what a title track should sounds and this is what Why So Serious? should sounds because this song makes us want to listen to it more and more.
Unfortunately, all those good things about this song did not being followed by the music video. Sorry to say, the music video looked really cheap especially the settings that being used. It seemed that they rushed into the making of this music video. Thank God, the boys saved the music video because five of them looked great on it.
The greatness of the previous two tracks sadly did not being followed by the third track, Dazzling Girl, which fell into a mediocre (almost horrible) song. I just can't with those auto tunes, the cheesy refrain part, and the weird rapping part. The music video does not help either since it is also pretty standard, meaning that there is nothing new and special on it. The special thing would be the concept. Oh God...who the hell suggested the idea of making them wearing fake fur????? It looks awful!!!! At the end, I am very sorry to say this, but Dazzling Girl is one of the worst songs from SHINee. It's a pity because I know all of you could do much better than this :(
Thank God, those awfulness from the previous track did not being followed on the next track, 1000 Years Always By Your Side. In fact, this song turned out to be one of my favorites in this album. It's sweet and pleasant listening. I smile & felt touched when I listened to this song even when I still don't know the meaning of this song. And yes, when I knew the meaning which is about willing to be beside someone even if it takes 1000 years, I felt more touched by it. Oh and those high notes!!!!! It's soooo beautiful and woooww...it's amazing to see them be able to reach it.
Move on to the music video itself, I think this is one of the best music video from SM Entertainment idols. Those shots were amazing, the story line is very touchy, and of course, the SHINee boys, especially Jonghyun (I love every time he sings in the music video, it's like he feels the song), looked great.
Anyway, to keep it short, here is my review about SHINee's newest Japanese album, Boys Meet U.....................
The first track, Password, sounds highly influenced by Japanese band with the domination of strong guitar and drum sounds. Because of that, Password honestly did not sound like a boy group song, it's like a band song. And for me, it was refreshing since SHINee rarely did this type of music. Password is a type of song that will grow on you after you listen to it several times. I thought there is nothing really special from this song, beside the killer beat on 1:00 - 1:21, but it turned out that I am liking it after several listens. In short, Password has done a great job as an opening song. It's strong and enough to leave us want to hear the rest of the album.
Breaking News pretty much screamed SHINee. It's a catchy, engaging, and enjoyable song accompanied with gorgeous voices, funky music, and catch beats that I really really really adore (It's so 90s). This is what a title track should sounds and this is what Why So Serious? should sounds because this song makes us want to listen to it more and more.
Unfortunately, all those good things about this song did not being followed by the music video. Sorry to say, the music video looked really cheap especially the settings that being used. It seemed that they rushed into the making of this music video. Thank God, the boys saved the music video because five of them looked great on it.
The greatness of the previous two tracks sadly did not being followed by the third track, Dazzling Girl, which fell into a mediocre (almost horrible) song. I just can't with those auto tunes, the cheesy refrain part, and the weird rapping part. The music video does not help either since it is also pretty standard, meaning that there is nothing new and special on it. The special thing would be the concept. Oh God...who the hell suggested the idea of making them wearing fake fur????? It looks awful!!!! At the end, I am very sorry to say this, but Dazzling Girl is one of the worst songs from SHINee. It's a pity because I know all of you could do much better than this :(
Thank God, those awfulness from the previous track did not being followed on the next track, 1000 Years Always By Your Side. In fact, this song turned out to be one of my favorites in this album. It's sweet and pleasant listening. I smile & felt touched when I listened to this song even when I still don't know the meaning of this song. And yes, when I knew the meaning which is about willing to be beside someone even if it takes 1000 years, I felt more touched by it. Oh and those high notes!!!!! It's soooo beautiful and woooww...it's amazing to see them be able to reach it.
Move on to the music video itself, I think this is one of the best music video from SM Entertainment idols. Those shots were amazing, the story line is very touchy, and of course, the SHINee boys, especially Jonghyun (I love every time he sings in the music video, it's like he feels the song), looked great.
Once again, SHINee displayed their amazing harmonization in the beginning of the fifth track, Run With Me. Another pleasant listening and catchy song in this album especially the refrain part that I really really loved since it's smooth. But yeah, that's just pretty much it about this song although I admitted that I would like to repeat this song several times.
The sixth track, Kiss Yo, is not as bad as I thought it would sounds. It turned out to be quite catchy and fun eventhough I agree about how horrible the second verse sounds. And the dubstep............no just no, I laugh a lot hearing this hahahahahahaha.
The biggest problem in this song is the way SHINee sing it. For me, it's still absurd whether they want this song to be pure fun or what. There are still some parts where they sing "too seriously", but there are also some parts where they sing in a very fun way. I think this is what makes people does not get the whole meaning of this song and turned out to hate this song a lot.
The seventh track, The World With You, proved that to make a good song, sometimes you don't have to make a complicated, super bombastic, fantastic, elastic song every single time in order to be called as unique or innovative. Just with a right amount of simple formula that we often found in other songs (verse-bridge-refrain) accompanied by simple music (piano and little electronic sounds), you already make one, such as The World With You. It's simple, nice, pleasant listening, enjoyable, and engaging. Definitely my most favorite song in this album.
With Keeping Love Again, the eighth track, SHINee let us reminiscing boy band songs in 90s era with those oh-so-old school music arrangements. This is not a bad thing though because Keeping Love Again still came out as a nice and catchy song with lovely piano intro and SHINee boys harmonization. Oh...am I the only one who thinks that this song somehow sounds similar with the fifth track, Run With Me? Sometimes I get mixed up when singing this song :D
I swear when I first heard Burning Up!, I thought it was Lady GaGa's Just Dance. The beginning sounds really really similar!!! But then, the song goes into a "secret agent theme" type of song along with its synthesizer while still have 90s vibes on it just like the rest of the album sounds. Burning Up! is also another song that will grow on you every time you listen to it. It's fun, catchy (how many times I said this word throughout the review???) and it makes you want to dance throughout the whole song!! Oh and don't forget those guitar sounds were killer.
The tenth track, Sherlock, is SHINee's title song for their Korean comeback last year which being released in Japan (obviously with the change of language that being used in this song). Sherlock is one of a few songs that still sounds good with both Korean and Japanese language. Maybe it's because Sherlock itself is already a great song. Great job SHINee with this song, you guys still nailed it :)
The eleventh track, Fire, is another 739349363 songs in this album that is enjoyable (hahahahaha sorry if being hyperbolic :p). But that's just it about this song, sorry guys :( Although......., I have to admit that I admired their efforts in singing this song with those incredible high notes on the refrain part. I swear that was amazing, guys :)
Now, for the music video, I like it!!! I think the theme is very sweet and make me touched. My only complaints would be how the boys look on the music video. The costumes were meh and I hate they make Taemin looks old on this music video.
Finally, Boys Meet U closed with I'm With You, a ballad track. For me, this song has soooo much potential to be one of the greatest ballad from SHINee. It already has gorgeous piano intro and beautiful harmonizations. I also like the way they sing several parts in this song (Minho's part was nice, love it!!!). It sounds sweet at some parts. But on the other parts, it sounds okay, meaning they don't seem to put much effort in singing this song and this is one of the reasons why this song at the end sounds so-so though it actually has potential to be a great song like I said earlier. Another reasons would be the arrangements. Beside the piano, the arrangements are pretty standard and sooo old school, but not in a good way. It sounds like a cheap wedding song, sorry to say.
Instead of doing that, why don't try to have a grand arrangement like an orchestra. Or if it's too much, why don't make it piano only. I think that will sounds a lot better. Beside that, the boys also has to change the way they sing this song at some parts, put more efforts on it please :") I'm sure that it will unleash the song potential if they do this.
After creating two of the best albums this year, Boys Meet U sadly came rather underwhelming for SHINee. It's not that all of the songs are bad, it's actually catchy and enjoyable, but that's just it. Nothing special from it, meaning that each song does not stand out on their own. Another thing would be how the upbeat songs sound similar with each other and it also goes for the medium tempo songs. This makes us often mixed up the song and back to the first point again, it failed to create a special identity for this song. I like SHINee's stick to the same theme, but this does not mean that they have to create the same song too.
In short, sorry to say SHINee but this time, you guys disappointed me because I know you guys really really really really had sooo much potential and you have soooo many great songs, but none of them in this album :(. Guess, we can't always get what we want then :")
My Favorite Tracks : Password, Breaking News, 1000 Years Always By Your Side, The World With You, Sherlock
Best to be Listen at : Party (for upbeats songs), When you on the way to go somewhere (for medium tempo songs), Wedding (for I'm With You)
Rating : 2.8/5
Best to be Listen at : Party (for upbeats songs), When you on the way to go somewhere (for medium tempo songs), Wedding (for I'm With You)
Rating : 2.8/5
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