A K-pop group’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. 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.
Seventeen’s Ready To Love appears to be more polarizing than I would have expected. I’m still not completely sure how it will age for me. My review yesterday may have been a bit too generous, but we’ll see what happens in a couple of weeks. After all, that’s just in time for my annual “Risers and Fallers” feature to be published!
Opinion seems far less divided on b-sides Heaven’s Cloud and Anyone. I agree that they’re both incredibly strong — neck-and-neck when it comes to my own personal feelings. I think the performance team’s Wave is also very solid. In fact, the whole album is enjoyable.
In the end, Anyone feels like the more striking of the two songs. I love how seamlessly it weaves rock influences into Seventeen’s sound. And that chorus? For me, it’s the album’s strongest melody. It surges with atmospheric drama, tugging in all the right places. It’s simultaneously emotional and rhythmic, which can be a hard combo to pull off. The first time it pops up, the song almost stops in its tracks. The air clears, and that refrain holds us captive. But, I’m even more enamored with the beat drop that follows. Laced with haunting guitar, it conjures a fantastic groove – slightly menacing as that bass creeps along.
I wouldn’t usually care for verse two’s languid delivery, but I think it works very well within the context of a song like this. And for those missing a defining climax in Ready To Love, Anyone delivers the power-note-infused bridge you were hoping for. Still, it’s all about that chorus/beat drop combo for me.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9 |
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The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I love this one! Such stunning melody throughout the whole song.
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I think “Ready To Love” is much more stronger and it has grown on me alot in this one day, honestly. I have been listening to it on repeat and that guitar is rhythmic as hell!
But I have to admit that this song has a much stronger melody, and that haunting beat drop which follows is really good! I love how this track captures itself both on tension and rhythm, making this really enjoyable and welcomed by both sides (much like Taemin’s spectacular Criminal). Though…I am gonna argue that for some reason, Ready To Love feels more distinctly Seventeen to me, even with processing. I think I am just being dumb (Yes I am), but there is no point in comparing. Really strong album track in a really strong album (Have to say, Gam3 Bo1 isn’t the song I normally go for, but the guys seriously sell it!)
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I didn’t expect you to post one quickly but I welcome it 🙂 Also I had a feeling you were going to pick this one lol, it’s so good. This comeback is cursed in so many ways but I’m glad the music isn’t part of it.
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Wait, besides the whole quarantine situation, how else is it cursed?
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So many things felt rushed. The Power of Love concept trailer was made in 2 weeks, teasers being released like 10 days before the comeback date, the creative designs were… questionable, plus a few things outside of this era but still related to the group that happened in the last month (HYBE shenanigans.)
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The8’s injury too. *sighs*
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Both Anyone and Heaven’s Cloud have such strong replay value for me, it’ll be hard to top these for a long while. Anyone with that stellar performance is 100% a complete package.
Ah and now their promotions are on hold. Seriously, I’m cursed.
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I was expecting this to be picked haha. While I really like it, I’m still very much in love with Heaven’s Cloud which is just the right kind of Seventeen sound that really hits for me. But still, Anyone’s chorus is just a moment of pure brilliance. I also didn’t realise until I read the comments yesterday that what I was really missing in Ready to Love was the build-up and satisfying climax that Anyone delivers, it absolutely delivers the punch it needs to (and the performance that goes with it is amazing as well!)
Like another comment on this thread says, this comeback has felt really strange and now things are getting a little harder than ever but I’m glad we’ve gotten some really good music out of it. I’m off to listen to the vocals throughout this album, especially Same Night Same Dream Same Mind, for some classic Seventeen happiness.
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This song is good, but my personal preference is Heaven’s Cloud 🙂
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Solid, but flat. There’s not much variation, but I do like it a little. Maybe not enough to obsess over, but enough that I don’t mind the song. Somewhat forgettable though.
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Woops this was for the title track, but my opinion on this b-side is not that different either. To be honest, none of the songs in the album really appealed to me. Not my thing apparently.
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I’m also on team Heaven’s Cloud. I can acknowledge the objective strengths of this song, but I did not end up listening to it more than once or twice.
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for some reason this is giving me imagine dragon vibes?
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Ready to Love has grown on me so much. During my first listens, I thought Heaven’s Cloud would be my number one track, but I’m listening to their title track a lot more.
Anyway, this album is their most thematically cohesive since Your Make My Day. I’m so glad I’m here for it. ❤
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I love that post-punk guitar. Now I want a collab with New Order.
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