Following the review I did on the video for B1A4's comeback single, I have taken my time to listen to their second full album Who Am I, released January 13th, and will give you my opinions on it.
I can't say I've loved everything these 5 boys have ever put out, as with any group, but their general sound is not always my cup of tea, so to speak. It could be because I'm not a huge fan of the cutesy, poppy styled songs that have been their trademark since debut, but I have enjoyed some of them. Recently, however, they've undergone a change. A new, maturer B1A4 has arrived, ready to show what they've got.
The album opens with a lovely 1 minute intro, which doesn't do much except setting the overall tone for the album. Full of the harmonious sounds of several instruments and a harmonica solo on top of that, it's good for an opening to the rest of the album. Lonely is the title track, and rightfully so, because I feel like it's one of the stronger songs of the album. The intro is a tad bit too long, but the repeating of the title is definitely efficient in making it memorable. The instrumental is gorgeous and it is very easy on the ears in terms of soulful vocals, pleasant rapping and transitions between verses. If I were to complain about one thing, it would be the lack of Sandeul. He's the main vocalist for God's sake, why does he get neglected? Instead, there's a heavy amount of leader Jinyoung singing, and while I can tolerate his voice in lower doses, I really wish some of his parts would have been given to Sandeul instead.
The harmonica joins us once again for Love Then (ft. Harim), as it paves way for this beautiful piece. The song is a bit on the slower side, with soft vocals and rapping and a bunch of instruments such as violins, electric guitar and trumpets (which totally gives me some Bon Iver vibes). Amazing opens with an instantly catchy hook and steady beat. It's really one of those songs that just make you all happy and warm inside as you bump your head along to it. The vocals are still relatively low-key in contrast to the louder sound of the instrumental, making it very well balanced in terms of not being too high-energy, but just enough to make it stand out.
The album continues with the smooth sounding Baby, which actually is a break-up song about trying to endure the let downs of a relationship not being as easy as imagined. I loved the guitar lines and falsetto at the end, as well as the "whoo's" spread out during the entire song. Musically it's very simple, with just drums, bass and guitar to keep the flow going, but it doesn't really need more. Baro opens the next song, Oh My God in broken english, but it most absolutely doesn't ruin the rest of the track, which happens to be one of my favorites off the album. It's another breakup song, leaning more on the angry side of the feelings you can experience after loosing a loved one. It's almost implied that the girlfriend cheated, which would explain the "Oh my god, I hate you, girl!" line in the chorus, among many similar ones. The vocals of all members are great and I especially enjoy Sandeul and Jinyoung taking turns in the chorus, as well as a nice chord structure and melody throughout the song.
Too Much is the only real ballad of the song, and is a duet between Sandeul and maknae Gongchan. I have to admit feeling somewhat worried about this song, mainly because of the latter mentioned member. I don't think he's a terrible singer but having him sing next to one of my favorite kpop vocalists just seemed a bit unfair. However, the final result is quite satisfying. The song allows Gongchan to sing comfortably and in his range while Sandeul handles the more difficult parts. Overall, the ballad is very pretty but also relatively quiet. It never builds up to some sort of breaking point, but rather hums along at the same pace throughout, making it not as memorable. Pretty is my other favorite song of this album, and opens surprisingly with CNU rapping instead of Baro. It wasn't all too bad, but I'd rather have the group's main rapper do those bits, you know? The song is just so sweet, singing about how pretty someone is no matter what they do or wear. The trumpets play loudly on the instrumental once again, giving it a slightly jazzier feel.
Fothllowing is Who Am I, the only real dance track on the album. It sounds similar to some of B1A4's earlier songs in that it's fast paced and high on energy. The breakdowns are nice and allows time to breath and build up again. Still though, it doesn't feel out of place in the album but is quite a well needed break from the quieter, slower songs. It goes right back to where we were with CNU's solo song Drunk With Music It's on the sexier side with a focus on bass and guitars, and it's easy to jam along to. CNU himself also played a big part in composing the song, both music and lyrics, and I have to call myself impressed. If there's anything negative about this, it's his voice. He's definitely a capable singer but this song sounds a bit straining on his vocal chords at some points.
Road is the second last song, at you can tell it is. There's something about it that makes it feel like it could be an awesome concert finisher, and I can totally imagine the guys going around interacting with a screaming audience and waving their hands to the rhythm. The sound is poppier and lighter than previous songs, and for some reason reminds me of some of the songs SHINee released back in the day. The album finishes with Seoul, another CNU composition (along with some Baro on the lyrics), and it is like a few other songs, being very laid back and relaxant. I don't particularly like this song, actually, because it totally fails to stand out and therefore had me quite bored, unfortunately. You would want the closing song to really make an impact of any kind, but Seoul just didn't do that for me.
Conclusion
Little B1A4 has certainly come along way since their 2011 debut, gaining more fans and recognition with every new release. Their musical development has also been a wonderful journey to follow, and Jinyoung's skills as a composer has improved significantly through the years.
This album is another step for them and is a great, big one indeed. I didn't instantly love any of the songs. but most of them have grown on me to the point where I want to listen to them again. Still, there are a few that are not as memorable and sort of fade into each other, but it could just be my personal preference of enjoying faster songs more than slower ones. Still, the entire coherency of the album is beautiful, and the use of instruments as well as vocals are really well placed and emphasized in the most flattering way.
Highlights: Lonely, Oh My God, Pretty
Least Favorites: Seoul
Total Score: 3,7/5
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