Enough of you asked for it, and who am I to deny? It’s time to dive deep into SHINee’s long-awaited comeback album Don’t Call Me, track-by-track.
1. Don’t Call Me // 2. Heart Attack // 3. Marry You // 4. CØDE // 5. I Really Want You // 6. Kiss Kiss // 7. Body Rhythm // 8. Attention // 9. Kind
Kind
Ah, the reflective, slower-paced moment that often comes at the end of an album. So much of Don’t Call Me is upbeat, so it’s actually kind of nice to hear something a bit more subdued as its finale. It helps that Kind is quite strong on its own accords.
The track opens with a beautiful a cappella introduction. This is an example of effective vocal processing, and lends the performance an otherworldly quality that instantly paints texture and tone that the rest of the song will build upon. The melody is quite nice, with a satisfying drive during the verses and surging blast of emotion at the chorus. The production is pretty restrained, but builds layers as Kind goes on. The backing vocals are especially effective during the song’s climax. They expand the sonic palette without feeling overly grandiose.
Though the energy is different, Kind reminds me a lot of Taemin’s 2 Kids from last year. As such, it’s getting a similar rating. This general style isn’t really for me, but I think it’s important to include moments like this on albums. Not only does it give the listener a chance to breathe between more bombastic songs, but it helps spotlight SHINee’s unrivaled versatility and artistry.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.75 |
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Continuing the trend of ballads, this one is my least favourite of the album. That does not say all that much since it is an amazing album, and this song is still pretty good. I like that vocal processing effect, gives it a little bit of unique flavour.
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Funny, this is one of my favorites of the album!
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Ok so when I heard the vocal processing in the beginning I thought of the frequently memed song “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap (“mmm watcha saaay”) which is actually a great song, for the record. This is well done, but not my style.
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That is the exact effect they used! I didn’t like it at first but it has grown on me. I”m glad it’s not throughout the whole song.
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As a ballad-lover, I absolutely adore this. It ranks third on the album for me. Like you said, it almost transports you and gives you space to breathe. The way the ending calls back to the beginning is so good. It’s the kind of song I don’t want to over-analyze to write a review about, I just want to enjoy it. It easily gets a 9 from me.
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hey, have any of you noticed that all of the groups which have gotten In Depth Album Reviews are either SM or Woollim groups?
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I heard that Shinee is releasing a re-package of Don’t Call Me soon, I’m excited to see how they build on the really awesome set of songs they have here.
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