Ever since the, by now, legendary group DBSK broke up, there has been questions about whether either new entities could live up to the success and fame of the original 5-member group. The answer is, of course, yes they can. JYJ and TVXQ still attract the same huge following across Asia even when they’re split in two. Now it’s one thing to wonder whether the new groups can be successful and another to think about how good their music is.
Earlier this year, both entities released new material. I detested JYJ’s album, especially its messy lead single Ayyy Girl while I was absolutely floored by TVXQ’s efforts. With that said, both groups are releasing new material this fall and are preparing for round two. And so far, JYJ is impressing THE HECK out of me with this gorgeous release.
Tracklist
01 Get Out
02 In Heaven (Narr. Kim Jeongeun)
03 낙엽 (Fallen Leaves)
04 소년의 편지 (Boy’s Letter)
05 Mission
06 I.D.S (I Deal Scenario)
07 Pierrot
08 You’re
09 Nine
10 이름 없는 노래(Unnamed Song) PART 1
The first track of the album is Get Out. The piano intro is seriously gorgeous and immediately sets the sorrowful vibe of the song. We get a few words by YooChun before Xiah JunSu’s silky voice comes in. I love everything about this song and it is possibly one of my favorite of the album. The vocals are strong and the song is full of beautiful harmonies. A great start to the album.
The title track In Heaven is a gorgeous ballad featuring one of the rawest and most powerful vocals I’ve heard all year long. I knew that all the members are infinitely talented but it seems that they’ve reached a new high. The group vocalization is perfect. The intro to the song reminds me of the piano structure of Big Bang’s “Haru Haru” without the drums kicking in. Instead, we get a stripped down song with just vocals and low-key instrumentals. It’s absolutely stunning.
Fallen Leaves slows things down even further as if to test the audience’s patience waiting for JYJ’s firecracker dance tracks to pop up. Again, we get nothing but full-scale vocals and just a light and very mellow piano chord. If I thought the vocals in the title track are gorgeous, this one features higher levels of dramatic vocalization especially from Xiah who is just damn moving in this song. His high notes toward the end took away my breath.
The Boy’s Letter is more symphonic than the preceding songs but it packs the same wallop of emotion as the first two. Again, Xiah’s vocals are so strong that it feels I’m just listening to him the whole time.
The next track is an odd and unexpected one because it breaks us from the more emotional spell of the first three. Mission takes the cue from the first three and is a very low-key uptempo tune compared to the bombastic and often very loud dance music we hear. The beat here is so addictive and it’s so simple that it doesn’t distract from the boys’ voices.
Despite it’s onerous title “I.D.S. (I Deal Scenario) is another home-run dance tempo. It’s strange because while both Mission and IDS are clearly meant for the clubs, they also belong among this album’s more low-key tone. They’re held back than the usual loud and obnoxious tunes that K-pop produces constantly. I.D.S. is charming and even when they’re voice is digitalized, it doesn’t ruin the charms of the song for me.
You’re is much more uplifting than the first five. It’s so charming and appealing but like the first four, the vocals here are stupendous. There’s an ethereal feel to the tune during the verses and then becomes more uptempo as the chorus kicks in. It’s a filler track, sure, but it’s still better than what most K-pop acts release as a lead single.
Pierrot is an exciting tune to finish out the album. Again, we get lots of group vocalizations and harmonization that are enticing and just plain damn gorgeous to the ears. It has flashes of Chris Brown’s “Forever” with its romantic vocalization and the laid back electronic beat. It also reminds me of Big Bang’s “Koe Wo Kikasete” except much more upbeat than them.
Though I didn’t necessarily like how low the vocals of the first verse were in NINE, if the point was to highlight how awesome JunSu’s voice is at a higher octave, then they were perfect. NINE is a slower-paced track that is kind of a breath of fresh air. It’s clean and simple with minimal instrumentals that really pronounce the vocals. Though it can get a little bit tiresome halfway through, the bridge changes things up before transitioning back into the chorus.
When released on JYJ’s previous album “In Their Rooms” Unnamed Song Part 1 was one of the most controversial topics in the KPop sphere. The lyrics of the song describe in extreme detail what occurred with the whole breaking up of DBSK/TVXQ issue. Written, composed, and produced by JYJ’s YooChoon, the song is all rap except for the chorus sung by JunSu. When I first heard this song, even without understanding the meanings of the lyrics, I could strongly feel the overwhelming emotions poured into the song. It’s highly apparent in both the raps and the vocals that this song is basically an outburst towards SM. The entire song embodies resentment, anger, and determination. I personally love this song because it is beautifully crafted and both the vocals and raps are amazing. The YouTube clip above has English translations so that you can follow along.
Overall, I have not been as satisfied with an album this year as I have been with this one. JYJ seriously stepped up from their last effort and I’m still reeling from how amazing this whole album was. As someone who has never really been a huge fan of JYJ or TVXQ, I was totally converted with this. This is some powerful voices and it’s on full display in this album.
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Source: DramaPop
Shared By: JYJ3
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