Super Junior & GOT7 are back and it’s devilishly right !

SUPER JUNIOR - DEVIL

Let me start with the facts: 

1. Super Junior is back

2. They’re not 13, not even 10 actually.

3. Siwon’s my bias from the beginning and yes he’s hot and yes that won’t change ever.

4. After what have been for me, a period of average albums, I’m officially happy to say that I like this album.

Ten years after their debut (it’s even longer than some marriages), the famous SM’s group is back with a tenth album, Devil. The latter is an anniversary album and there’s plenty of reason to celebrate: their longevity, their permanent success, their remain freshness. 

I really like the lead single, Devil. It’s catchy, bouncy and in place. Nothing new, but it works. The song reminds me of Sorry, Sorry or Bonamana. Not in the rhythm or the beat because the songs are utterly different but more in the way the song is a promise of a good album. I didn’t exactly feel the same vibe with their previous lead singles like, Sexy, Free & Single or Mamacita. If the attractive title of Sexy, Free & Single appeal me, it was only for a short time. The time to realize that there was actually not much to be excited about. Except for Outsider, Only and Haru, included in the repackaged edition and I really loved, the rest didn’t go down in history. The feeling was surely worse with Mamacita.  The song was supposed to be something new and different, yeah fine but I haven’t got moved. Far from that. And probably because I didn’t like the lead single the whole album didn’t leave any impact on me either. 

Devil is a good album, not my favourite (forever and ever Sorry, Sorry) but it has good tracks like the eponym single and Stars Appear, Don’t Wake Me Up, the groovy Alright or the sublime We Can. The latter is, according to me, an homage to the fans. The lyrics perfectly fit for a couple, but sometimes you have to go beyond the first impression:

“ When we were young and didn’t know any better / When we struggled and tripped / It was hard, people telling us to do this and that / We stopped at those words, at those comments. We can fly away, sharing an overwhelmed heart / Those brilliant glory days / We can fly away, we can be proud / Because you and I will be together forever.”

There’s definitely a hidden sense behind and somehow it make sense if Devil is supposed to be a celebratory track for the group tenth anniversary. Them thanking the fans to be faithful and still present after all these years is logic.  

Devil's MV has been giving a 19+ rating. The guys have grown up. Their debut was in 2005, they can't possibly be the same young boys they're used to be. They've matured into singers who aren't afraid to do 19+ MV's. We got it. The only thing is I don't really see the reason the MV has been giving that rating. Yeah there's some (reasonable) undressed girls, some games of power, a bit of tension and fire but nothing huge or indecent. But they wanted the 19+ rating, they got it.

Leetuk, the leader, said he wished: "Super Junior's representative song will change from Sorry, Sorry to Devil." I don't think we're there yet, but surely Devil works quite well. With or without a 19+ MV.  

 

This tenth album has good ingredients and many genres. It’s enough to please. And it would be undeniably enough to please you too!    

 

As usual you can download Super Junior’s album here.

GOT7 - JUST RIGHT

What I know about GOT7 is close to nothing. Some have probably their eyes wide open as I am saying this. I promise I tried. I really did try to catch up with every kpop band out there, but I gave up quickly. It’s a hard job, way too hard for me. So I let go. I now go where my ears take me. 

Well I’m probably lying because I know some things about Got7: it’s a JYP band, I also know two out of the seven members: Jackson because of Roommate 2 and JB because of Dream High 2 (and I didn’t even finish the drama, it was beyond my strength). Beside those simple facts, I have no anecdotes about them to relay, I can’t even recognize the other members. Yes I know Google is my friend: in a blink of an eye I can find hundreds of fan bases, thousands of groupies and millions stories but I rather go for what’s really make me like Got7 so far: their music. I concretely starting to like them when they’re released Stop Stop It. The song has an enjoyable and kind of nonchalant beat that somehow got me. Surely Got7 was active way before Stop Stop It got released, but my radar wasn’t actually on them. Remember, catching up is a hard job. 

The band officially debuted in 2014, it’s not so long ago if you look at it. They released their first EP, Got it?, with the lead single Girls, Girls, Girls in January of that year. Girls, Girls, Girls is another one good track I like and discovered during my period: ‘I’m falling for Got7’s music’.

Those kids know what they’re doing, at least they know how to catch my attention! And here they are again making me excited with their third mini album, Just Right. The mini-album’s name fits perfectly with the lead single, Just Right, because you can only feel good listening to it.  

Got7 is described as a hip-hop band. I’ve certainly heard more hip-hop turned bands but it’s ok, I’ll go with that etiquette. Truthfully hip-hop isn’t placed first in my favourite genre’s list. Not that I have an ultimate favourite genre though, let just say I’m not an hip-hop addict even if, it’s true, I’ve always liked strong beats. But Just Right is good (like really), fresh and up-beat. I just want to shake my head and go with the flow.
And the lyrics are really great: don’t be so critic towards yourself, don’t try to be someone else because you’re just right. Well said guys, keep spreading your good words. The beautiful lyrics go with an awesome rhythm.The singing and rap parts are equally great. Again, I’m not fond of rap. I mean you can rap in Norwegian, in Japanese or in Swahili I don’t care as long as I enjoy it I’m fine, but rap isn’t the genre I would go directly to. But Got7 does great in mixing both the vocals and the rap. I also want to mention Nice which is another track of the mini album I fell for. Best part of the song? ‘And we go bam bam bam bi dam bi da bi dam bam Bam bam bam bi dam bi da bi dam bam.’ I could go bam bam bam bi dam bi da bi dam bam with you guys If I don’t pay attention here….Let’s be serious, mmhh the song is definitely awesome with the auto-tune voice. And only God knows how much I hate this auto-tune.

I liked the whole mini-album and I surprised myself wishing for it to be a full length album. If I liked some songs of their first studio album, Identity, released in 2014, I think this mini-album, had better ingredients to rock. Five more tracks to the actual five wouldn’t have hurt, on the contrary guys!

Download Got7’s mini-album here. Enjoy!