Catch-Up Mini Song Reviews - 1st Quarter Edition Pt. 1

This mini-song review is hopefully the first in a multi part series.

Sunmi - Tail

Initially underwhelming compared to her previous work, Tail has slowly grown to be a favorite of mine. The retro brass is simplistic enough, but the sinuous brass under the flirty beat hints at a darker side of the story. That is what I look for when I look for Sunmi, a story told in a song and Tail is her darkest song yet. The breakdown near the end of the song is pretty weak, but the moments around make up for it. Special note that the backing vocals in the final chorus's intro are gorgeous. 

Rating: 8.75/10

IU - Lilac

 IU is one of my favorite current lyricists, and while Lilac is far from her best works, it is solid nonetheless. I always enjoy it when a sad story is told with optimism and hope, and Lilac tackles a final goodbye in this way. The production is city pop through a modern lens, the chorus in particular is dreamy and fun. I would like to note that some instrumental choices are unneeded, but the package holds together pretty solidly.

Rating: 8.75/10

Olivia Rodrigo - Driver's License

Finally, a promising rookie American artist! Debuting with a ballad is a risky choice, but it paid off brilliantly for Olivia, easily being the biggest hit of 2021 so far. I love the clapping piano production through the verses. It is a little wishy-washy, but Olivia gives a delivery passionate enough that it redeeems all the errors, culminating in a near-perfect chorus. Despite this, the coda certainly needs a bit of work.

Rating: 8.5/10

Wonho - Lose

The only reason I have not reviewed this song until now is that I kind of am in the minority when it comes to this song. The song does not build to any crescendo, so the dance energy is pretty much wasted, while the chorus needs more peaks. Also, it is pretty clear they 'cleaned up' Wonho's voice, and thus it loses its charm a bit. The verses are kind of aimless as well. There are redeeming factors, such as the burst of potential that opens the chorus, but not enough to fully redeem the track.

Rating: 6.75/10

NTX - Kiss The World

This song is pretty throwback K-Pop, think 2009-2012 K-Pop summer. There are some pretty problematic parts of the debut such as the terrible 'cultural' photos, and the heavy autotune, but I love the sheer joy of the song. The awkward charm is something I miss in K-Pop. The guitar provides a strong backbeat, while there is an actual melody through the joy.

Rating: 8.5/10

Image Source: The Bias List