In honor of SHINee’s Key taking charge of his sound on new mini album Bad Love, I’ll be taking a look at each track throughout the week. Check back every day, and make sure to explore my other In-Depth Album Reviews if you’re interested!

1. Bad Love // 2. Yellow Tape // 3. Hate That… (ft. Taeyeon) // 4. Helium // 5. Saturday Night // 6. Eighteen (End Of My World)

Saturday Night

We’re nearing the end of the Bad Love album, and Key is keeping things upbeat. Saturday Night is probably the brightest track here, propelled by a disco rhythm and bolstered by a poppy sheen. With these ingredients, it should be my favorite song on the album. But, I find it less compelling than the preceding tracks (minus Hate You).

If it were me, I would have given the opening verse a more dynamic tempo. I appreciate the atmospheric intro, but I think it lasts a little long. The second verse faces similar issues. The beat is there, hanging in the background. But, the segment feels too subdued. Key is clearly expressing a mix of emotions, and the music cues the changes. However, I think you can still convey sadness over a thumping dance beat. In fact, I’d argue it’s more effective because of the inherent contrast.

When the percussion hits full force, it’s surprisingly tame. The chorus is catchy, yet lacks punch. As with the verses, the blame falls on the arrangement. The bones of an excellent song are here. They’re just not fleshed out in the most satisfying way. This causes Saturday Night to feel a bit throwaway when compared to Bad Love’s bigger numbers. I guess every album needs a fun filler track, but Key has already proven he can deliver this sound in much more thrilling ways. Even so, the song is still a disarmingly good time. How could it not be?

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