JYP Entertainment has been on such a roll lately. Their all-killer, no-filler 2019 singles run has been strong enough that they even had me excited for new GOT7 music. If you’ve been reading The Bias List long enough, you’ll know that GOT7 have often become the punching bags for my trend-related complaints over the past few years. I swear, I don’t hate the guys! I’ve just found their music increasingly self-serious and needlessly moody, and long for the return of insta-classics like A, Just Right and If You Do.
With that said, even though Eclipse‘s previews led me to believe I’d hate the song, that didn’t end up being the case. I have an aversion to future bass, even more so than its irritating co-conspirators trap and tropical house. But, the future bass moments in Eclipse’s chorus feel more like rock guitar, and they don’t totally kill the track’s momentum. Once again, the song was co-composed by the group’s leader, JB. It seems that he and I have vastly different preferences when it comes to music, but unlike the fragmented Look, his songwriting feels more focused here.
Eclipse’s verses employ the kind of meandering melody that plagues too many current pop songs — spinning their wheels but amounting to very little in the way of memorable hooks. The pre-chorus is stronger, offering an extended build that segues well into the chorus. Eclipse’s central refrain takes a few listens to get under your skin, but it has a welcome surge that compliments the groups’ vocal tones. In some ways, this feels like it could have been a JJ Project single (or the mopey cousin to ONF’s We Must Love). Beyond the trendy instrumentation, the song doesn’t throw too many bells and whistles at listeners. It has an understated, emotionally driven vibe that should play well in the long run.
Hooks | 8 |
Production | 8 |
Longevity | 8 |
Bias | 7 |
RATING | 7.75 |
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I think we definitely disagree when it comes to GOT7- with the exception of If You Do, I didn’t really like any of their pre-You Are title tracks that much. While ECLIPSE isn’t my fave title track ever, I still really liked it.
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Just a note- JB didn’t write Lullaby. That was entirely by outside writers/producers.
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Fixed. Thank you!
Whew, I’ve been getting sloppy lately!
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Slightly above average basic kpop. Well-produced is the tipping feature.
Got7 just never grabs me. Just Right is literally the only song I have from them. This song isn’t going to be number two.
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I’m with you, though I actually like all of their 2014-2015 work. A and If You Do are particularly good.
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This song simply doesn’t exist. You can listen to it a thousand times, you can 100% love it and heart it, but you won’t ever remember a single line. Maybe the worst title track in the whole Got7 discography, and anyway not exactly the best concept for a spring/summer production.
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I agree that it doesn’t leave much of an impact, but there are GOT7 titles that annoy me much more. I think I’d take “underwhelming” over “irritating” at this point.
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Same for me as well. I guess I’ve never really been sold on GOT7 title tracks, but some of their bsides are pretty solid, so much so it sometimes feels like it could have been their title track instead. One example I’d say is Beggin On My Knees from Flight Log Departure.
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Pingback: Buried Treasure: GOT7 – Page | The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion
The End from the same album(spinning top) has a much better catch (hook). While I really like the song,I feel JYP producers really don’t give extra consideration with regards to Got7 as compared to their other groups like Twice and Stray Kids. Talented artists too need help and guidance.
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I actually quite like the new GOT7 mini, which was a surprise for me. The End is a major highlight, as is the chorus of Believe (if only it wasn’t hamstringed by its heavily autotuned verses)
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Apparently JB released the original/guide version of this song on a Vlive recently and I thought of this review/was wondering what you’d think. The final and guide version are very different, and I assume the changes are based on feedback from the company and not from JB himself. His guide version for Page is, apparently, almost exactly the same as the final version too.
Such a shame there were so many changes made to Eclipse because while not totally my favorite, I definitely prefer the guide to the final version.
Eclipse guide version: https://twitter.com/defchlorine0328/status/1261319086971260928?s=21
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Wow, that’s like a totally different song! Still not really my taste, but I think I prefer it to the final version too.
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With regards to your comment about how your taste seems to vastly differ from JB’s, I think differently. Just a reminder that at times, what the group releases isn’t necessarily represent of JB’s true sound – as in the case of Eclipse, there are times when the company heavily restricts his creative license; and as in the case of Page, there are times when the company refuses to place his creative license as a title track because they doubt its commercial appeal.
I’d urge you to give a listen to some of JB’s more representative works as Def./Defsoul. The tracks that define his sound best are probably found on SoundCloud, although a few of his collabs with other artists (as the project group OFFSHORE) can be found on Spotify. You might prefer his song from Hyena on the Keyboard, ‘Rainy’, to GOT7’s recent stuff. Also his solo stuff under GOT7 – Sunrise, Fade Away (JJP), and his 1:13AM (잘 지내야해) sub-unit with Youngjae. Attaching his SoundCloud here https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/2XozVeRsBx753s4K9
Also, you can give Yugyeom’s solo work a listen. I feel To Me (내개), which he penned for GOT7, is somewhat representative of his own sound. His SoundCloud https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/H4nSz8CZkSLwyZad8
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