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I’m making an attempt one thing totally different this week as a result of I actually don’t have the time to look at your entire episodes of this sequence in the meanwhile and I don’t assume my write-ups are gaining a lot from the countless context.
In order we enter the Debut Idea Battle (aka: unique songs), I’m going to look at the performances on YouTube and rank them from least to most favourite. My most favourite this week obtained a lowly “C” grade, so… yeah. Issues are fairly bleak in Boys II Planetville.
Once more, these are my private rankings — not the rankings on the present. And so they’re 95% concerning the music itself as a result of the performances have been all fantastic. Nobody was a practice wreck. Nobody was a “can’t wait to look at that once more” standout.
Principal Dish (carried out by Principal Chef)
This one has creepy staging with baseball bats that have been even swung on the followers watching the efficiency throughout the intro! If a bunch should pose and posture, no less than these guys decide to the bit and convey some drama to the schtick.
Music-wise, this can be a shout-chant affair anchored by a refrain that’s simply extra shouting. I significantly really feel dangerous for these guys’ vocal chords. This isn’t significantly nice to hearken to, however it’s not for an absence of making an attempt. Rock guitar provides a little bit of welcome texture to the observe however finally there’s not sufficient selection to make this attention-grabbing. Even chanting might be compelling if delivered with sufficient totally different rhythmic buildings, however Principal Dish is solely the identical reheated leftovers time and again. I used to be exhausted by the top of it.
Grade: D+
Chains (carried out by Love Is)
Judging from YouTube views and chart efficiency, this appears to be the music persons are latching onto most. That’s not too shocking because it exists inside followers’ beloved “attractive” idea — full with a surplus of chains. The staging within the intro is definitely fairly cool.
So far as the music is taken into account, that is just about precisely what I’d count on from a music referred to as “Chains.” It has that slinky, stuttering sound boy teams have leveraged for years. I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of this type as a result of it at all times appears like a tease – as if the music is continually pulling away from its greatest moments. This tends to truncate the melodic strains till we find yourself with a bunch of forgettable sing-talk. That’s the case right here and consequently I discover the music extremely boring. The efficiency is okay, although the facility notes might’ve used extra oomph throughout the board. Finally, each the music and efficiency go nowhere and don’t have any actual killing factors.
Grade: D+
Fortunate MACHO (carried out by 777)
“Fortunate MACHO” is a godawful music title. If it was meant as camp I’d really like it, however that is Ok-pop so we all know they’re severe. The introduction’s bike poses definitely play as camp, however once more that’s not the intention.
Aside from that, this music and efficiency shade by numbers inside Ok-pop’s blustery, badass boy group oeuvre. The percussion skitters ahead with momentum that’s undercut by the comparatively lumbering rap. There aren’t many hooks to be discovered, as even the melodies really feel truncated and useful. For a music with such vitality, it’s shocking to listen to how uninteresting every part sounds. The observe begs for a refrain price coming again to. The blokes do nearly as good a job as could possibly be anticipated, however the materials does them no favors.
Grade: C-
Sugar Excessive (carried out by Nyangnyang Chuchu)
This music title screams “vivid boy group idea with overalls” and that’s just about what we get (besides exchange the overalls with foolish hats, cat ears and lollipops). You’ve obtained to like how predictable Ok-pop has change into!
It’s not that I naturally favor vivid ideas over edgy ones. It’s simply that – at the present time – vivid ideas are sometimes the one ones that put melody entrance and heart. I want this wasn’t the case, as a result of songs like this can be somewhat cloying at instances. To me, Sugar Excessive appears like probably the most baseline model of one of these observe, resting on established tropes with out bringing the rest to the desk. The melodies are fairly inert regardless of a punchy instrumental that clearly needs to push the music in additional thrilling instructions. I just like the strummed guitar and love the bounding dance break, however general that is so weightless that it virtually disintegrates in entrance of you. The efficiency has some good moments however feels extra like generic fan service than a memorable survival present stage.
Grade: C