After a burst of music show performances in the spring, last month’s Every DAY6 release Hi Hello didn’t seem to be pushed or promoted very hard. But though that song felt a bit underwhelming the first few listens, it was one of July’s biggest growers, offering a hazy, subdued counterpoint to the summer’s more bombastic dance pop fare. In contrast, new single What Can I Do (좋은걸 뭐 어떡해) amps things up and attempts new sounds. I just wish it had pushed itself even harder.

What Can I Do opens with a scuzzy guitar riff and rootsy stomp that recalls the grungy glam of the early 70’s. It’s a style DAY6 would do well to explore further in the future. The song’s verses creep forward with a swagger we haven’t yet heard from the guys. An entire track built around these instrumental elements could have been a total slam dunk.

Instead, the song segues into a brighter, brass-driven chorus that feels at odds with what came before it. It’s not that the transition is messy or poorly executed. It’s just that the two pieces sound as if they had spawned from completely different songs. When it comes down to it, the chorus comes from a much more generic, expected place while the verses attempt an edgier transformation. We’re a little over the halfway mark with the Every DAY6 project, so maybe the guys are skirting the line with the full intention of jumping over it later in the year. I hope that’s the case, because What Can I Do‘s ballsier moments point to a whole new level of potential within the band.

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