Most of the time, a k-pop group’s title track is the best song on their album. But, sometimes b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
It’s been almost three years since I featured a GOT7 album track in my “buried treasures” feature. I just haven’t been all that interested in the group lately, and new title track Eclipse doesn’t do much to change that. However, the mini album itself is probably my favorite thing they’ve released since 2016. As usual, the members contributed to the composition of many of the tracks, and their love for western musical trends definitely continues. But even when the material veers toward genres I’m not a fan of, the song construction is stronger this time around.
The album’s biggest surprise comes right at the end, when the group unleash the closest thing to a straightforward dance track we’ve heard from them in years. Yes, last year’s Lullaby and Look featured high tempos, but they were undone by verses that plunged into murky, meandering structure. Page is refreshingly tight, kicking off with a brisk instrumental that never really lets up. There’s still a little too much tropical noodling in the background synths, but the melodies are sharp. The first half of the chorus is particularly galvanizing, with strong vocal arrangement that lends a welcome immensity to the track. Even Jackson’s gruff “I think I love you” exclamations don’t totally waylay Page’s momentum. They skirt the line between endearing and annoying, and *just* wind up on the latter side. Best yet, the song never falls into the dreaded ‘second verse slowdown’ that has infected so much of 2019’s K-pop. With all of this in mind, I can’t believe that Page wasn’t chosen as the title track.
Hooks | 9 |
Production | 9 |
Longevity | 8 |
Bias | 9 |
RATING | 8.75 |
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The group wanted page to be the title track but their label felt it didn’t suit them sp they made changed to eclipse, gave it a more complex melody and went with that instead.
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So* and changes*
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how could the song not suit them when they themselves picked it??
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