Review

Song Review: SHINee – Hard

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SHINee - HardSHINee’s The Feeling has blossomed into an early summer highlight, buoyed by the group’s heavenly vocal blend and the song’s driving energy. I’m very thankful for its existence, and will be positioning it as the official title track in the blissful (deluded?) alternate reality I’ve constructed around SHINee’s new album. Unfortunately, the album’s actual title track succumbs to many of the tropes I fear most from modern SMent songs.

I’m hardest on the things I love most, and my standards for SHINee are sky-high. But hey… it’s their own fault! They’ve released too many legendary songs in the past.

Hard attempts to forge that legendary status into a braggadocios hip-hop dance showdown, fueled by the quirky production flourishes that often characterize the group’s music. But the song itself feels slight and repetitive. There’s too much telling and too little showing, and this approach feels beneath a group of SHINee’s caliber. They certainly don’t need to prove their “hardness.” It feels almost silly to do so.

I appreciate some of the track’s off-kilter instrumental moments. The piano is a nice touch, and Hard thrives whenever it drops into an old-school 90’s hip-hop beat. However, I hate the chorus. The spoken-word hook follows a flow we’ve heard countless times before. It’s dull and obvious and sacrifices SHINee’s biggest asset: their killer vocals. The K-pop industry is already stuffed with groups who chant and swagger. Do we really need SHINee doing this, too?

Flashes of melody pop up during the pre-chorus, but never amount to much. Instead, the song circles around itself. That non-starter of a chorus lurks around every corner, robbing the track of a sense of build or storytelling. Even a well-delivered Onew power note feels tacked on as courtesy. I can’t believe I’m rating a SHINee title track lower than “8,” but after two years’ wait this has to be the year’s biggest disappointment so far.

Hooks 6
 Production 8
 Longevity 8
 Bias 8
 RATING 7.5

Grade: C

100 thoughts on “Song Review: SHINee – Hard”

  2. I love it. It’s goofy. Not the track I would have picked, but it’s fun live and has twitchy Advice vibes to it which I also dig. The rest of the album is also great.

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  4. The song sounds like the softer gentler version of “Sticker”. Still all off-kilter and quirky and packed with novel custom-made samples, but using a more sonorous grab bag of sounds, piano line being the most prominent.
    As a Sticker person, I think it is =fine=. Not quite full SHINee, but I’ll take it anyway.

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    • As someone who capital H Hates Sticker, this is interesting – because I love this song. I can see some similarities actually, so I wonder what makes the difference between love and hate for me.

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      • Sticker vs Hard: both use a grab bag of samples and short riffs that collectively constitute a song. Unlike other grab bag songs, these sound constructed deliberately. Conceptually both are closer to Stavinsky “Rite of Spring” versus others more “Firebird”; more Picasso “Three Musicians” versus “Acrobat and Young Harlequin”. Other grab bag songs are still at their heart closer to a traditional sonata form with layers added and removed. Sticker and Hard start weird and continue weird. Sure there are the identifiable elements of song – verses choruses etc, but they are all fractured with just enough melodic elements to establish a key signature and status as an entity known as “song”.

        See for example “Three Musicians” to see what I mean visually. It is still a figural picture, the figures are identifiable, but he didn’t just add or remove body parts, he shifted warped morphed them into other shapes entirely. Versus “Acrobat …” which is also figural, but closer to a regular portrait, almost normalish, the modifications being elongation, color scheme, simplification of the features etc.
        ‘https://news.masterworksfineart.com/2018/10/31/pablo-picasso-and-cubism
        ‘https://collection.barnesfoundation.org/objects/5878/Acrobat-and-Young-Harlequin-(Acrobate-et-jeune-Arlequin)/

        How they differ from one another is the selection within that grab bag of sounds. “Sticker” leans into sounds that can be called brittle, shrill, treble, sharp, mechanical, industrial. Kids playing around with the buttons on the keyboard. When the chorus kicks in, the vocals goes higher, doubled, fried with a side of fries. The key leading sound is that wonky flutely tin whistle.

        “Hard” leans into sounds that can be called sonorous, orchestral, bass. Kids playing around with the instruments in the band room. When the chorus kicks in, the vocal goes softer, rounder, lower, mellow, solo. The key leading sound is a rapid piano arpeggio line.

        I am suspecting it is that tin whistle sound just gets under your skin. Kind of like how after a while, after a few rooms for me the main Cubists just become brown and more brown layered upon on tan and ash.

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        • Very well-described! Love the references, too (the Rite of Spring is truly interesting but I hate listening to it).

          Your adjective lists make it very clear why I like the soundscape of Hard and not that of Sticker. Additionally I just have a thing for piano lines and orchestral parts in songs. And yes, correct suspicion – the tin whistle makes me want to rip my ears off.

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    • I think “Sticker” is better than “Hard”, tbh!
      I just loved Doyoung, Haechan, Taeil getting into their vocal fry. and I think “Sticker” is more concise on first appearance.
      A lot of the production ideas on “Hard” feel much more grab bag.

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      • Oh my goodness it’s the exact opposite for me – I feel like Hard is really cohesive while Sticker assaults me with a bunch of super random production choices haha. It’s always cool to see how everyone experiences songs so differently.

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  8. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life, but for a group as skilled as Shinee it’s very meeeh. I enjoy the beginning of the track,but the chorus kills it for me.

    However, I really enjoyed the other songs on the album (except for Juice).

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  9. I wonder HOW LONG SM Entertainment is going to NCT-ize every single act they’ve got in their roster. Honestly, this is so annoying and it barely has something to do with SHINee (the only acceptable track of the album is Satellite, but it’s everything but a masterpiece).
    Now let’s expect a “Skrr! Skrr!” title track from Super Junior as well, and then there won’t be anything left to pollute.

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  10. What a disappointment this cb has been. I can hear when Mark and Taeyong are supposed to enter, and Johnny’s cadence is all over those silly english whispers. I hate the chorus so much. Why did they think a whispery line followed by the usual chanting would be a good idea? Especially when one of the strong points of SHINee’s discographies is the unique blend of their harmonies.
    For the Shawols saying it’s not nct but Seo Taiji… this isn’t the defense you think it’s. You are still saying this song fits another group’s discography better than SHINee’s. Experimental hip-hop that sounds like SHINee is their b-side Alive, commercial hip-hop with SHINee’s signature is Get The Treasure, DCM is SHINee’s for 4th gen sound. Hard is like an ill-fitted costume. It doesn’t show their best features and makes them look awkward, like a middle age identity crisis and very reminiscent of SUJU’s “2YA2YAO!” attempt.
    If the members really are responsible for choosing this one among others… It leaves me worried about their future musical output, it shows that they really don’t know their strong points and are just happy following the current trends…

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    • Hard is not my favorite thing either but saying that Shinee don’t know their own strong points after a fifteen year career containing literally a few hundred songs because you don’t like one song, is actually hilarious.

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      • Well… let me rephrase it then: since Jonghyun passed, SHINee’s choice of title tracks has been more in line with following trends than creating them. And, in my personal opinion, with diminishing returns. To me, their delivery doesn’t sell me on this song.

        The album also isn’t as strong as their previous one. Juice is just another flavor of the same, Identity at times loses itself, The Feeling is a line above generic fandom music, Insomnia suffers from unnecessary and awkward raps just like EXO’s pre-release, and Gravity is just another generic pop ballad. So, no… it’s not just because of one song, the whole cb was disappointing. That is why I’m feeling pessimist for their future in terms of my enjoyment of their music.

        ps: Not that they have to cater to my tastes… making this clear because you never know with fandom discussions.

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        • That’s fair, and while I would personally disagree that Shinee has been following trends in recent years on most things, I can certainly respect your opinion on it. I have felt similarly about other groups in the past but never about Shinee; though I can see how Hard would seemingly fall the most in line with more recent boy group trends.

          I’ll also agree that I don’t think Hard suits Shinee’s strongest points but I do believe without a doubt that they are talented enough to handle anything they wish to. For me the delivery is not an issue, its the fact that the song itself does not feel up to par with Shinee themselves.

          Personally though I’m not worried about Shinee’s future. They are always trying something new and pushing themselves. They’ve already tried many things and I’m sure they will try many more, and not everyone of those things is going to be for everybody. Hard will never be my favorite but Shinee are my favorite and I can’t imagine a day where that will change, at least for me.
          I hope you do get to enjoy more of what Shinee does in the future. Not because you have to or should but because we are all here because we love music and want to enjoy it. That being said I hope you find more to enjoy later on.

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          • I can agree with your assessment that the song itself does not feel up to par with Shinee themselves. It’s probably why I’m so disappointed, tbh. It’s cool that you have so much faith in them, I hope my worries are unfounded, maybe on their repackage or next cb their experiment will work for me.

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        • My counter-argument is Atlantis! And the entire previous album, actually, which I thought was fantastic.
          I do agree that this album is not as strong as the last one. But, the trend of boygroup braghop, too, will pass. I trust that we’ll have melodic SHINee once again.

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    • The strongest point of SHINee’s music has always been Jonghyun’s voice. So we can’t expect the new songs to sound as good as their legendary albums. His voice is the SHINee trademark.

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      • I agree that SHINee lost an important piece of their overall sound when they lost Jonghyun, but I don’t really think you can blame the lack of his voice for whatever this was. Most of it is rapped with almost no melody line, so I’m not sure how much his voice would have elevated it, unless you’re envisaging him adlibing over the chorus. It could work, he did something similar with some of their earlier, more rap-heavy tracks, but imo the beat isn’t driving enough to really sell it

        I also think you’re undervaluing the other members slightly here. While there will never be another Kim Jonghyun, Onew, Key and Taemin are all solid vocalists (Minho does alright). Have you listened to the rest of the Don’t Call Me album? The harmonies are excellent, and if it wasn’t for the title track, it would be one of their most cohesive albums to date

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  11. the most surprising thing about this song is that it’s not a Dem Jointz production, but rather a KENZIE one. I don’t like it and I’ll be looking forward to a repackage.

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  13. I’m starting to get sick and tired of SM title tracks sounding like “SM artists does NCT”. I really hope they leave this trend as soon as possible. They really took out almost all of the influences that made this track feel SHINee and gave us a chanted chorus.

    I’m surprised that you didn’t like the song because SHINee, as usual, has a way of elevating even the dullest of songs for you.

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    • I’ve been seeing a lot of people saying this in various internet corners but I don’t really get it. Aside from 127 and this title track, what other SM title tracks in recent memory have had this vibe? Birthday, Phantom, Candy, Killer, Circle, Rover – none of these sound like NCT 127. Maybe Spicy but that’s pretty much in line with how Aespa has sounded the whole time.

      Maybe it’s just that SM is very solo-artist based at this point and NCT as a group dominates SM’s group-based output? NCT 127’s sound has certainly permeated a lot of OTHER companies’ bg songs, but I literally saw someone say “SM boygroups feel interchangeable now” and I’m just baffled.

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  14. People who keep raving about NCT-ification of SHINee clearly never listened to 90s hiphop or older SHINee music.

    This is a first for their title track, but not a first for them!

    That being said, it’s not as good as I had hoped…

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  15. 2023 is a year 127’s title track has a (mostly) vocal chorus and SHINee’s title track is entirely rapped, what a year indeed.

    Anyway I really dig this, especially the 90’s hip hop throwback vibe of this one. This is entirely up my alley and it’s super fun as fuck. I’m probably the biggest NCT defender among your readers, but I honestly disagree this sounds NCT at all. I don’t hear how it sounds like any of the units’ output. It’s a lot more theatrical and suits the SHINee members’ vocal ranges and colors. (For Juice, the song SM wanted as a title track, that one /kinda/ sounds more NCT-oriented since 127’s main producer & DCM-maker Dem Jointz did that one, while this is a Kenzie jam)

    I knew you wouldn’t like it but I always appreciate your writeups.

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  17. Hard is not what I would’ve wanted from Shinee but I don’t think its half as bad as some people are making it out to be. Personally I don’t mind the chorus, my biggest gripe with the song is how it ends. It doesn’t build to any kind of climax, it just kind of stops.
    However, the b sides are great and the live performances of them during the concert were fantastic. Identity, Like it, and Sweet Misery were particularly good. Like it is super catchy but I think Sweet Misery might be my favorite.

    Even though I too hope they pull a DCM/Atlantis with the inevitable repack I am just glad Shinee is back for good this time. Honestly the Shinee members have been working so hard and been through so much recently that I’ll be here to appreciate whatever they want to give us even if it doesn’t match my personal preferences.
    Shinee has a hundred different sounds, if this is the one they choose for themselves this time then so be it. I’ll be cheering for them all the way through because one meh title track is not going to diminish my love for them or tarnish their untouchable legacy.

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  18. It feels so much like an NCT song at parts, most notably the bridge which pulls back in the same way pretty much every single NCT(127) title track does recently. The vocal delivery easily reminds me so much of how Taeil and Doyoung deliver their lines. I can totally see Doyoung beginning the first part of the bridge and the Taeil finishing it off with the belt that Onew did. I don’t think I can separate the song’s likeness to NCT.

    With that said, I think I like this one a lot more than I expected to. There is something about the rhythm of the chorus that only gets funkier with every repeat and by the end I’m pretty much vibing a long. I think the NCT resemblance may hold me back from fully appreciating the song considering what SHINee has done in the past, but it isn’t like they don’t pull it off convincingly.

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  19. I’m sorry everyone, but…gosh, this is an absolute piece of shit. Especially that atrocious chorus. This one sounds like an insult of its worst kind against the legendary artists such as SHINee.

    Even giving it a 7.5 feels like a jail-punishable crime (not tryna hate on Nick!), ngl. 5.75 (4,7,6,6) at best for me.

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  20. Welcome back SHINee! I’m not mad at this song. It doesn’t work and they don’t really pull it off very well but the rest of the album isn’t this so we’re good. I think I’ll need to watch them perform it live for it to really click with me. I’m glad they’re still experimenting and pushing themselves even if it doesn’t always work. I think a 7.5 where I’d put this song too.

    As for the rest of the album, I don’t even know which is my favorite. Songs 2-10 are the best song ever in my completely unbiased opinion. Insomnia and Gravity have my whole heart. So does Sweet Misery and Satellite. Those ones are so good.

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    • Also I don’t get how people say this doesn’t sound like SHINee or that its a surprise they went in this direction. This is the same group that went from Replay to Ring Ding Dong. They’re always experimenting. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Its the sacrifice you get when you have a more experimental group like this. You gotta suffer a couple bad ones. I honestly see why they went with this instead of one of the more obvious ones that do exist on this album. The obvious ones are what I gravitate towards and they’re the ones most people will like but its also not as fun for them. They should do what’s fun for them. Its not like they have anything left to prove.

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      • I completely agree with you: they are experimenting and bringing new sounds in every album (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t) and they don’t really have to prove anything to anyone, throughout their career they showed how great they are. I didn’t like the title track but I quite appreciate the other songs.
        A bad song doesn’t diminish my appreciation for the group.

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        • I don’t know that anyone has said they’ve lost appreciation for the group. It’s just that, after two years without a SHINee title track it’s natural to feel disappointed if you don’t vibe with the song. It’s been a long wait.

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          • Quite a few people here have said that SHINee are chasing trends, aren’t as good as they used to be, and that they can’t pull this off (when they are known for pulling everything they do off). This is a loss of appreciation for SHINee.

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      • Also, they delivered Don’t Call Me not that long ago and Hard feels like a very natural continuation of that sound. So yeah, I don’t think this really is a sudden shift in direction from them either. Just not a direction everyone prefers!

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  21. It’s fine.

    But “fine” is not what I want from a SHINee title track. I want “Wow!”, “Incredible!”, “Show-stopping.” and “Best thing I’ve heard in my life.”

    This is not that, so I can’t help but be disappointed.

    8 for me. (7, 8, 7, 10) I’ll probably listen to it again, but for SHINee, not for the song.

    (The album isn’t nearly as good as Don’t Call Me/Atlantis either, but Like It should have been the title track.)

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  23. I like the beginning with the piano, and I kinda like it from Taemin’s and Onew’s solos onwards, but the rest falls kinda flat. Kibum ate the MV and the whispered rap, though, imo. I don’t hate it, but I think it doesn’t highlight their highlights.
    It doesn’t fully work, but I am glad they are still trying stuff 15 years in, and the rest of the album is very solid, and showcases their harmonies (their strongest suit!) more than enough.

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  24. It’s me or some parts of the song sound like a Latin rhythm, Mambo or Rumba? The same with Juice. I am saying parts because it changes all the time. They look great but the choreography is meh, Tik Tok ready.

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  25. I love the song – but I don’t love that it’s coming from SHINee. SHINee have the power to pull off and elevate anything and I want to see them use that power to deliver something that no other group could. This could have been done by NCT and it would have been satisfactory, too, which feels a little bit like a waste.

    But yes, I do love it. SHINee sound great, but it is the production that does all the heavy lifting here. The piano flourishes, the interesting noise-beat, ..is that a synth-organ?! And it works very well without jarring shifts. Yes, we’re all a bit over the spoken word choruses, but the production keeps it interesting and enjoyable for me all the way through.

    Obligatory mention of how much I love Onew’s voice and his power note is truly the cherry on top for me. Hard is certainly no Atlantis, but I love it anyway.

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  27. The bridge tried so hard to carry with the orchestral kitchen sink (reminiscent of ‘Advice’) but that point was just too little too late. Rest of album is quite standard SHINee tbf.

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  30. I don’t hate “Hard”. But I can’t see myself forging a special relationship with it in the way I have some other Shinee songs (a group who’s music has brought me to tears on multiple occasions)

    they are still the best to do it tho

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  31. I was stunned at this. I didn’t expect another “Sherlock” or “View,” but I also didn’t think the venerable SHINee would stoop to slumming it with NCT 127’s sloppy seconds. There’s even a bit of stale tropical house around the 1:15 mark for anyone really desperate for that 2017 sound.

    Like “Ay-Yo” and “S-Class,” this is another Frankensong that clearly sounds like it was patchworked from other songs. Only three writers are listed, but I wouldn’t be shocked that Kenzie just recycled a bunch of rejected bits and pieces into this monstrosity.

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    • Frankensong is just such a good term, I love it. I think this one is definitely one of the more cohesive ones, though.

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    • Sherlock, View, Lucifer, Replay, etc are songs lead by Jonghyun, his voice is what makes those songs stand out. So we can’t expect the new music without him to sound as good. It is what it is. His voice is a big part of their discography.

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      • I agree about Jonghyun’s voice being iconic and a large part of SHINee’s sound and identity, but I don’t think the newer songs are necessarily worse – Atlantis was an absolute standout.

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      • Jonghyun has nothing to do with my disliking “Hard”; forget “Sherlock” or “View.” After all, I’d happily take another “Good Evening.” What I don’t is “2 Baddies” à la SHINee.

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  32. i don’t even think it’s that bad (i wouldn’t call it good either but, contrary to popular belief, shinee have always had duds in their discography) but at this point all sm groups sound the same so what’s the point of listening to more than one?

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  33. I’m seeing every possible take in the comments so I’m sure anything I say will sound redundant, but I come out of hiding for SHINee. There is no group, much less musical act, on this earth that I love more. So obviously my sky high expectations are hardly ever going to be met, even less likely if it’s not entirely my taste. If this is the genre they’re going with, I hate to go against the guys themselves but I prefer Juice more I think for the chorus alone. However, what about Hard?

    I’m kind of able to see both sides. I feel like the company they are under and the trends of the time definitely had an influence on this, but I do think that if we let SHINee carry on as they would like, this kind of concept would come up. Maybe not so posture-y, which I agree they don’t need to do, but a more in your face track isn’t unheard of from them. I mean, this group has Ring Ding Dong as their definitive song. So you can’t ever fully blame/name drop other acts for what they themselves do. Their discography is impressive because it covers so many genres successfully, which we take for granted. So when their music isn’t the strongest possible example of what they’re aiming for, it feels like such a giant fall because it’s a bunch of legends tripping. I’m not taking it too seriously and am able to have fun with it. I just want a title that absolutely floors me – the last tracks that have done that have all been from Key himself, actually (besides Atlantis, of course), but I would love it if the group could give me that too. Fingers crossed for the repackage! They are my absolute favorite group though, so I’ll always have a blast. They have earned that from me – it’s impossible for me to hate anything they do. But I can definitely rank it!

    I do think you should do an in depth album review. Certain long term acts like this that you, I, and we all love (SHINee, EXO, Infinite, etc.) deserve the album review treatment when you can count on the quality, especially if you’ve done such reviews for them in the past. I think the true strength of the album can be found in the b-sides! It gives me such joy to hear them again. They were meant to sing together.

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  34. Besides HARD and JUICE, the rest of the album is exquisite material as SHINee always deliver. Can’t choose my favourite at the moment because I love them so much. Hoping to see an album review.

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  35. This was a real SM track yes, but in my opinion that is a good thing. With their title tracks its often on first listen: wth is this?? Then you listen to it a few times and the more you listen the more things you notice and the more you realise this is such a total bop, super FUN (that choral ‘hard’ moment before Minho verse – it makes me laugh everytime I hear it) and with some super interesting choices in production and sounds.
    We all know they can sing, they dont have to prove it in every song. They can do different concepts and sounds even after 15 years in the business and don’t have to become boring and predictable. Also they gave us the pre-release, that track is so darn Shinee and also kind of the sound everybody expected so I dont get the disappointment for this title track.
    And yes sure NCT 127 could have done that track, after all they are in the same company and share producers but the outcome would have been totally different.
    To me this song feels totally Shinee in the best way. I love the fact they stepped out and did something fun , out there and surprising for this comeback. The album is full of great song and all of them feel Shinee because whatever concept they are the masters of making it their own.

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  36. I happen to love all of their songs and this one is on made my top list. I loved everything about the song about the video everything was amazing down to their outfits it was amazing. SHINee can do no wrong. This was amazing I can’t say that enough.
    SHINee will always be on top no matter what they bring it and with this in my opinion they brought it and more.

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  37. After two listens, once with the MV and once without, I’m actually hearing this as a continuation of Don’t Call Me, and I do think it sounds like Shinee in the end. For me, they’ve always come across as really experimental with their sound, so it doesn’t let me down as much when they try out new things or play with trends. They win some with me (and when they win, they win BIG), and they lose some with me. This is one that they lose with me – I’ll (*usually*) never be as into rap/spoken-heavy songs as I am into vocal-driven songs, and I tend to struggle with tracks that jump all over the place with seemingly random pops of instrumental or noise, at least on the first several listens until I can figure them out.

    That said, I don’t hate this song. I’m not sure I even dislike it. I’m not a fan of posturing, but I love Shinee a whole lot, so they can get away with more things I dislike than other groups can. If the chorus had to be spoken, I actually like the way this one is structured with it being all quiet first and then louder repeated, and they sell it to me incredibly well (hello, Key, I’m paying attention). I also do like all of the melody lines when they occur. All four boys sound fantastic, and it’s wonderful to hear them together – everything Onew touches in this song in particular is golden.

    The rest of the album (barring Juice) is much more my speed. Satellite through to Sweet Misery in particular (though at the time of writing, I haven’t listened to Gravity yet). It’s kinda fun, because I can hear details that remind me of all of their solo careers in the B-sides, but they all knit together so nicely. Solid album. Eagerly waiting to hear what comes with the repackage.

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  38. My first reaction is “it sounds like NCT” and “the drop chorus is not great.” I need to let go of expectations for SHINEE and let this song simmer for a while.

    “Don’t Call Me” initially shocked me but it grew into a favorite, so it’s possible this one will grow on me too. Hoping for an Atlantis style flip for the repackage tho!

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  40. The NCTification of SHINee is real.

    “10X” would have been such a good opener for the rest of the songs on the album for me. As soon as it started after “JUICE,” it was like I stepped into a new world (and I was relieved). I really wanted to like “HARD,” and even at a faster speed I just did not like it which is rare for me when it comes to a SHINee title track. Even “Don’t Call Me” gave me pause at first, but it still gave me SHINee (think “Alive” from Odd or “Get It” from Hello era) and I eventually liked it after several listens, but this song really reminds me of NCT more than SHINee. Anyway, I love everything from “10X” onward; the rest of the songs are so much better to me and give me quintessential elevated SHINee. I did like certain elements of “HARD” (piano/classical bits (which I wish they leaned into more) and Onew’s bridge lines), but altogether it just…doesn’t work for me. Thankfully, the album is still worth a listen!

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  41. I was disappointed too. I love SHINee so much it feels disloyal to say this, but for the title song I expected more. The chorus feels unoriginal and repetitive, Onew’s vocals aren’t utilized so much, and the song is dominated by Key and Taemin – which isn’t a bad thing – but Don’t Call Me was way better in my opinion.

    Personally I’d have given the song lower than 7.5. But I’m grateful for SHINee and will listen to and stream the album over and over. Here’s hoping the other songs on the album are better

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  42. Awww, man, when did Shawols become such fuddy-duddies?! This song is FUUUNNN. And most importantly, our boys are having so much fun with it. This whole album is full of earworms that have the traditional SHINee sound. I’m crazy obsessed with Satellite and Identity. I’m so proud of them for showing they can do 4th generation music too. And for showing that they can do it even better than everyone else, because they put their own unique SHINee spin on this kinda sound. And they come out fiercely by declaring that they go hard. That’s the whole point. I’ll admit I don’t love that chant. But I respect it and have gotten used to it. And, honestly, I seriously can’t stop listening to this song. It’s fun and charming and such a great summer song. Weird in a good way, just like One Minute Back. Lots of love and respect for you, Nick. I love to read your take on things. First time I’ve ever felt the need to chime in with a comment. But I strongly feel you just have to give in and let yourself love this one. I for sure see this getting higher on your rises and falls list. . . 🙂

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    • Also, I meant to put a haha after fuddy-duddies to emphasize the jovial nature of this comment. But hopefully the ridiculousness of the term “fuddy-duddies” is sufficient to convey that tone itself. 😉

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    • Most of these people are not even Shawols. SHINee is a group that is “safe” to like and praise because they aren’t a threat to any other Kpop act’s popularity. But they will get stupid little negs in, like saying SHINee are too old for Hard. Reminds me of how people will praise Taemin’s (also not threatening their fave idol’s popularity) dancing but get their neg in on his singing. They don’t listen to discographies, they don’t watch more than a couple music show performances and they don’t really have a clue of what SHINee do

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  43. Very NCTish. I know it will grow on me. But very underwhelming and kinda insulting for a group like Shinee. Also, I really think in recent times, Shinee is unable to utilize Minho and it’s showing. He is really forgettable.

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  44. Very NCTish. I know it will grow on me. But very underwhelming and kinda insulting for a group like Shinee. Also, I really think in recent times, Shinee is unable to utilize Minho and it’s showing. He is really forgettable.

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  45. Ok, when I first listened to this, I was like “who swapped out my Shinee CD with NCT?!” Oof, this and “Juice” – I said to myself “No, Shinee, not you!!!” With “Don’t Call Me”, at first I felt that song wasn’t Shinee, but it grew on me. I just think the guys were able to pull it off. However, this? I don’t know. I think I has some nice instrumentation here and there (like the piano), but that tone/tempo/beat change in the prechorus and then the chanting chorus…… didn’t like. I laughed at how it ridiculous it sounded. I give it a 5.

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