Review: BAE173 - Loved You

One of the joys of the late second-generation K-Pop scene was seeing veteran group Bigbang reach an emotional crescendo. Even if they come back, I doubt I would enjoy their new material, as their MADE album was one of the definitive of the second half of the 2010s. I am surprised that not a whole lot of groups have straight-up knocked off this style, as it really sold well.

If you had told me a K-Pop boy band would do this style of emotive soft rock in April, BAE173 would not be the first act I would have guessed. They debuted in November with the light-hearted funky Crush on U. And while that song was generic K-Pop, I certainly enjoyed it, for its funky guitar riffs led to a blast of joy in the chorus. Now, for their second single, they have done a 180. I am not sure if this is a good sign for the long-term, as most acts should develop a signature basis to act on, but at least Loved You is solid on its own.

When I say this song is ripped straight from MADE, I feel it is literal. I am not sure about the producers, but I would not be surprised if they really took inspiration from Bigbang. The MV is directed by the same crew as BTS's Run, and thus this song really is 2015-ish.

Let us start with the production. Driven by its soft rock guitar, the melody pivots and shifts with minor turns through the whole song to keep us on our toes. The backbeat is decidedly consistent, not shifting a single bit. This allows contrast, though it leaves a lot up to the rest of the instrumental. In assist, small instrumental flourishes exist through the song. If you noticed, this basically the same as Bigbang's Sober. The key difference is that Sober also included a synth line and increased the instrumental flourishes. Loved You is also angstier, which actually works in this song's favor, differentiating it from the second generation.

Another major difference is in the vocal performance. BAE173 have been together as a group for around half a year when they tried this soft rock style, while Bigbang had been together for seven years. The difference is Bigbang clearly knew all their strengths, while BAE173 are still working out their vocal performance, and it shows. Still, I wish that their A&R team did not slash the song with vocal effects in the otherwise solid chorus. In the end, this is a minor gripe in a really solid song. Now BAE173 have two routes open for their future, and I am not sure which they will pick. And if I am honest, I think Loved You's path is the better one.

Rating: 8.75/10

Image Source: Soompi