Album Review: TXT - Chaos Chapter: Freeze
TXT's first studio album was one of my favorites from 2019. Now, their second one is not as solid, but Chaos Chapter: Freeze, is certainly not a weak album, and it has some stand-out moments.
Anti-Romantic
Anti-Romantic is a pretty typical idol b-side, driven by a strong sentimentality. The ornate synth sound reminds me of one of my favorite K-Ballads, Joochan's Song for Me. The chorus fails to live to full potential, but the plucky instrumental is nothing to scoff at. The song also has a great build towards an excellent synth line.
Rating: 8.25/10
I Know I Love You (Ft. Seori)
TXT title tracks often have two titles. The impossible to pronounce titles no one remembers, and the actual ones. Over here, I am only writing the pronounceable. I Know Love You has a truly amazing chorus. It feels raw and emotional, with an excellent vocal performance, which TXT have been desperately seeking since debut. The desperation in the line "Please use me like a drug" is something TXT have failed to reach since their debut. Unfortunately, the verses are forgettable, and do practically nothing, not even building. It is frustrating. Seori's backing vocals are also great.
Rating: 8.5/10
Magic
Magic is dosed heavily in autotune, ruining all that joyful youth that made the first two songs so good. This is especially frustrating because the synth beat is surprisingly good. Magic is the album's first true dud, and a slightly unexpected one.
Rating: 7/10
Ice Cream
Contrary to typical album formats, the dullest songs on TXT's new album are straight in the center. Ice Cream is oddly muted and lacks the youthful charm that makes TXT so relatable. Also, who the hell sings "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream" in a legitimate pop song these days?
Rating: 5/10
Balance Game
Last year, TXT promoted Puma, an interesting song in theory but marred by the lazy instrumental and an unholy amount of vocal effects. Balance Game is what happens if Puma's interesting story is removed. The piano is actually decent but as a whole, this song suffers greatly. The autotune here is to make sure I can't hear. And that pun is slightly less lame than the song.
Rating: 4.75/10
No Rules
I assume, story-wise, this song is a successor to 2019's New Rules. I actually am glad about that, as I loved the youthful punk-pop of New Rules. No Rules is a breathy synth-pop track, similar to Golden Child's Breathe. It is not perfect, but it has some excellent moments, such as the vocal harmonization in the verses and the chorus. The chorus also explodes with a lot of joyous synths, and some great Vocaloid moments. The funky beat also sets it in the same playlist as Uptown Funk. It may take a while, but I think it might grow pretty far.
Rating: 8.75/10
Dear Sputnik
Dear Sputnik was created by the members of TXT, and boy are they promising if this is the sort of stuff they can make. The song opens with the same sample as Pentagon's Basquiat and has it drive the back of the song. This song needs to be a single ASAP. It perfectly captures the desperation from I Know I Love You in a much more consistent rock package. The pre-chorus' falsettos are golden, leading to an epic chorus. Dear Sputnik is between 8.75 and 9, and I'll give it a 9 because I think it can reach there.
Rating: 9/10
Frost
Of all the album tracks, Frost is the most likely to become a single. In theory, Frost is quite accomplished, driving of a rock background, with a strong amount of edginess. Despite that, the vocoder in the essential pre-chorus is annoying, and the chorus could use a stronger arrangement. In a way, Frost is much more accomplished in theory than in practice.
Rating: 7.75/10
Overall Score: 7.5/10*
As one could see by reading the review, the score I have provided vary by quite a bit. In a way, Freeze feels like the mix of excellent singles, and leftover b-sides. Time will tell how everything ages. But for now, Freeze is a solid album, with the real yolk covering the shell.
* Round score. Actual score 7.375
I really do think this album is comparable to what they released back in 2019. But as you've said there are a quite few missteps here and there. I think it is fair enough to say that certain elements of the album really stand out and others while not bad are still leaving a hole in my heart. Still, it isn't bad either. Balance Game strikes me obnoxiously interesting because the lyrics are great but the production and direction is bad.
ReplyDeleteI would say though Frost is actually great. It actually is something worthwhile for me. No Rules takes the spot to the top and Dear Sputnik is a close second. I mean those 3 songs did something aside from I Know I Love You. Anti-Romantic and Magic are in between and the rest well I'm just not gonna name it. Either way, I was really shocked with this album. AOTY is a tough one this year. Well, for the first time it actually is.
Balance Game's lyrics were just fine for me, not too much. And I seem to be on the wrong side of appreciation when it comes to Frost.
DeleteThankfully, No Rules and Dear Sputnik are amazing!
I think TXT might choose "Dear Sputnik" as next title since..."Can't you see me" had a similar trap autotune sound with "Puma" and both this song and title relate musically. I Want "No Rules" as single but that can't happen since they promoted it on their Comeback Stage...and like "Blue Orangeade" and "Drama", these tracks will be presented now on stage but never used for music videos.
ReplyDeleteI am gonna go cry in the bathroom bye!
Dear Sputnik as a next title would be great according to me. I think it capitalizes on the concept of CYSM and actually builds on it, rather than mashing elements together.
DeleteYeah, No Rules would be a great single, but frankly, I don't care too much. Maybe I sound antiquated when I say this, but whether a song gets an MV or not does not matter too much to me, I mostly listen to the audio exclusively. And some follow-up MVs have decreased the views I have of songs. I know songs get more exposure, but it does not change everything.
As you would say, 'thank you for hearing my TED talk'.
Yay, I also loved Dear Sputnik. Anti Romantic was the one I was looking forward to from the album preview so I'm glad it ended up being good.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on ratings, the album is an odd mixture of things and I'm not sure why some of the songs are even on there in the first place. Whether people like the last two albums they released or not I feel like those two were very solidly structured and organized.
I was watching their radio performance for the title and they sound great, I would love to hear the acoustic version of it.
My point exactly. It feels that this is just a jumble of songs put together, there is no thematic union. This is especially surprising coming from HYBE, masters of album theming.
DeleteAn acoustic version of I Know I Love You would be great! Maybe even better than the original.
This was such a great album and No Rules, Dear Sputnik and Magic are some of my personal favorites. I was really disappointed with Ice Cream because they opted for the most overused trope in the book and didn't do anything creative with the lyrics or with the sound.
ReplyDeleteTrue, Ice Cream can really do me in any day. Wonder if secret service organization and secret police are now using it as a torture method...
DeleteThat said, as you said, the album has some amazing gems :)
I would rather you review the album more as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI normally would review each and every song individually only if the album has something worth talking about in depth. I really enjoyed some songs in this album, I Know I Love You, Dear Sputnik, and No Rules in particular. But none of the other songs provide enough to warrant an in-depth album review.
DeleteFair enough. K-pop albums aren't usually known for their cohesion or have an overriding arc to them.
DeleteYou can say that again. Of course, there are some amazing exceptions, such as YooA's Bon Voyage. That was one album I should have reviewed every track of.
Delete