rookiereview

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Review: Tomorrow x Together

Saying that BigHit’s first post-BTS group has big shoes to fill is an understatement, which is what makes Tomorrow x Together’s debut already so impressive. These babes have the weight of all these expectations on their shoulders, yet they’ve come out the gate with a fresh sound, tight choreo, and charm to spare. Tedious name aside, this group is already winning.

Debut single “Crown” instantly grabs your attention with its cool synths slicing through the silence of the intro. Beomgyu gives us the soft and subtle opening verse and each member adds their own layer, building into the bright, confident chorus. Yeonjun kicks off the second verse with (my favorite) cute rap complete with an unnecessary, yet not out of place “skrrrt!” and leader Soobin provides the classic heartthrob counterpoint. As the tías in the group chat have mentioned, this gives “누난 너무 예뻐” vibes, and that’s only the greatest boy group debut of all time.

Props to the BigHit creative team, as always, because the video is on point. From the little doodle-type edits to the perspective shifts, and the Yayoi Kusama sets — just perfect. And the choreo is so cool! I’d expect nothing less, but wow they really went for it and didn’t take it easy on these boys. It’s got to be tough to pull off in the live stages, but I know they’ve practiced their asses off for this and am proud of how well they’re doing.

The rest of the mini, The Dream Chapter: STAR, is beautifully executed and you can see the BigHit producers have really worked on getting to know the members’ strengths and giving TXT a style that is unique to them and refreshing in the current boy group soundscape. Especially under the stress of having to follow BTS, it was crucial to define TXT clearly and separately.

In retro “Blue Orangeade” opposites attract and you can tell the members — especially Yeonjun and Huening Kai — are all having fun with it. The “you like 2Pac, I like Biggie” line kills me. Children! Please! “Our Summer” is the perfect embodiment of summer. Taehyun on the chorus really takes me there. I can see a sunset bathing everything in pretty pink, neon lights melting into each other on a night drive, youths dancing on rooftops — a coming of age film I would definitely watch.

Everyone’s favorite “Cat & Dog” still hasn’t grown on me, though I don’t hate it as much as I did on first listen. It feels like they didn’t fully go for it (though Yeonjun clearly wanted to), which is a must if you’re going to do something this ridiculous. “Nap of a Star” is just about perfect, though. Beautifully bare and deliciously delicate, this lullaby of a closer really wowed me. Everyone showed such restraint without sacrificing an ounce of emotion. Maybe I cried.

I told myself I wasn’t going to go all in on this group just because they’re from BigHit, but they’re already so good! And precious! And watching Slow Rabbit work with them on one of the Talk x Today episodes…I definitely cried.

This review was originally published on Medium.

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cherry bullet @ Q&A (190303)

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Review: Cherry Bullet

I loved Haeyoon on Produce 48. She was perfect for the J-/K-pop group being formed — pristine vocals, crisp dance moves, Japanese language and leadership skills, that twinkle~ in her eye — the full package if I ever saw one. Sadly, the story arc she got on the show was Leader of the Underdogs (who delivered this iconic performance). Though continuously praised by the coaches and her fellow trainees for her powerful vocals and strong leadership, Haeyoon was overshadowed by the more popular trainees. I had no idea she was set to debut so early this year, so when I saw her in the promo pictures for Cherry Bullet, I was so happy for her.

And what a debut! “Q&A” is fun and flirty, buoyant and bubbly, like the cute younger sister to 4Minute’s “What’s Your Name?” The song’s matter-of-fact opening, the cheerleader chant of a pre-chorus, and the 다다다다 knocking on the door of your heart…irresistible. The MV for the song goes all in with the video game concept, drawing even the non-gamers like myself into the fantasy. The member (aside from Haeyoon) who stood out for me in the video is Kokoro. So cute!

If “Q&A” is the cheerleading squad, then “Stick Out” is the marching band. The opening is the snare drummers marching onto the field to announce the band’s arrival, the punctuated la la las are the bass drummers pummeling their drums for extra emphasis. The first part of the verses are the woodwinds easing into the second part, where they’re joined by the brass, then they all burst into the chorus with the color guard waving their flags.

Of the three songs on Let’s Play Cherry Bullet, “Violet” is the closest to what I would have expected from Haeyoon. Her ability to convey emotion was so evident on Produce 48, and in this song she and Bora are the perfect vocal team, all sweetness and earnestness. The declaration of love comes with no fanfare or fireworks, just a simple, honest, no expectations confession. All in all, a strong debut for Cherry Bullet. I’ll be keeping an eye on this group.

This review was originally published on Medium.