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Lucy brings fans back to “Childhood” with first full-length album
When people think of a dog barking in America, it is portrayed as a “WOOFWOOF” sound. In Korea it is more of a “WALWAL,” which just so happens to be the fandom name of Korean band Lucy. Named after a dog that the members used to play with near their practice rooms, Lucy is a group made up from participants of the survival show JTCB Superband and consists of four members who each play a different role in the band. From drums to vocals and even a violinist, Lucy provides a sound that is unique and refreshing to hear.
The group debuted in May 2020 with the single album Dear and their title track “Flowering,” a song that utilized the strings of the violin and touched on the hardships and growth one goes through in life. After two years the group has finally came out with their first full album Childhood, a 15 song album that brushes on subjects including looking at others from a child’s point of view, reminiscing on the easy and fun life a child may go through from and adult’s point of view and finding the person that brings them light in a place that may seem dark.
Listening to this album gave a sense of nostalgia and comfort through their use of instruments one may use as a kid in school to the fun and upbeat colors some of the songs portray. Childhood starts off with the upbeat song “Knowhow,” which goes through the experience of looking at someone with a childlike POV no matter what others may think in that moment. With lyrics like “The words I spit out are just children in people’s eyes” and “I love myself more than putting you in a different color;” this song definitely brings a comfort of knowing while others may look at people more negatively, there are still people that have that childlike hope and optimism on a day to day basis no matter what others may think of them.
“Play,” the title track from the album, is a song that portrays an adult reminiscing on the easy and fun life they once had as a child. From not understanding the rules of the world quite yet to running around and just having fun, this song has a beautiful color and tone to portray something that may seem like a hard hitting topic. In the beginning of the song they take you through the life of a worn out adult portrayed by the lyrics,”I can’t remember the look of my last days/ like an afterimage of a fading out dream/ the thought that’s rushing into my head/ is bothering and pushing me.” Although these lyrics may seem a bit sad within the pre-chorus and chorus, you will find some lyrics like “Although the sky is getting heavy/ I used to play like I’m flying in the sky” and “The first person to leave at work is the tagger/ Please tell me to meet and play again.” Along with the bubbly and fun beat, those can find themselves immersed in the beauty and fun life of a child. At the end of the song there is a sense that throughout the person’s reminiscing, they were able to find some of that childlike hope back through the words “I’ll find back our days that we left/ Please make a smile like a day we used to play.”) Overall this song brings a nostalgic feel and fun vibe that’ll bring people to their feet to dance around like a child.
The album ends with the song “You are my light” which beautifully takes people through finding someone who pulls them out of a dark space and helps them see the beauty of the world around them. The beginning of the song paints a picture in peoples heads through the words: (“You painted my black and white world with beautiful colors/ With a lot of various colors that reminds me of your song/ That’s the reason I sing.”) This song is not as upbeat and bubbly as the previous songs mentioned. However, it holds a strong impact in one’s mind. The tone and colors of this song truly bring out the black in white that people face on a day to day basis. That black and white being the blurred world everyone knows from seeing the same thing everyday. However, it also brings out the beauty and vibrant colors that one may see. The beauty being what the world has to offer everyday though we may not see it right away. Like the flowers in bloom, or just how blue the sky is. This song truly paints a picture in peoples head and has definitely given WalWals goosebumps.
This whole album took the title Childhood and ran with it. Through the words, rhythms and fun yet serious topics, people can vividly look back at a time where they too also had this childlike mindset and comfort. If people are having a bad day or feeling worn out this album can give a sense of hope and optimism. Lucy continues to bring out the good in bad times and that is something that Walwals have come to appreciate throughout the years.
Lucy have brought so much comfort and strength to their fans and Childhood is no acception. There is so much more in store for them and this is just the start.
FEATURED IMAGE CREDIT
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The misguided ‘Vengeance’ of Panic! At the Disco’s new album
Brendon Urie must be stopped.
Legendary pop punk band turned solo vanity project Panic! At the Disco released the seventh studio album under that name on August 19. It’s difficult to call it “Panic! At the Disco’s” seventh studio album considering how far the project has gone away from its roots.
When Panic! At the Disco debuted in 2006 with their incomparable A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, they immediately stood out as storytellers beyond their years. This was in major part due to lyricist Ryan Ross, whose metaphors and stories weren’t reflective of a teenager fresh out of high school, despite that being exactly what he was. This was supported by the wholly underrated 2009 follow-up Pretty Odd, which traded burlesque and bombast for something more folksy.
Even after Ross and bassist Jon Walker left the group to start their ill-fated band The Young Veins, the songwriting didn’t suffer on the 2011 album Vices and Virtues. While it was definitely simpler than Ross’s aside from “Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met),” the last song he ever contributed to the band, it still had a charming knack for metaphor and story thanks to lyrical input from Fall Out Boy’s very own Pete Wentz. This trend continued in 2013 with the release of Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die when Dallon Weekes was brought on as an official member and original drummer Spencer Smith left for personal reasons.
Really, it was Death of a Bachelor (2016) where the cracks began to show in the Panic! At the Disco branding. While the first seven tracks were passionate and lyrically strong, with highlights including “Victorious” and “LA Devote,” songs like “Golden Days” and “Impossible Year” were utterly skippable. Then Urie put out Pray for the Wicked in 2018 and Panic! officially felt like a less-mainstream Maroon 5. Much like “Moves Like Jagger,” “High Hopes” did well commercially but lacked the originality and theatricality the band was originally known for.
Why is any of this important? In short, Viva Las Vengeance is, by all meaningful metrics, the weakest effort put forth under the name Panic! At the Disco.
It’s baffling to consider how an album can be so over-thought and under-baked at the same time. The instrumentation and Urie’s vocals are technically well-crafted, but soulless. The lyrics are often nonsensical but not in a way that evokes some of the pop punk classics, but rather tells the listener that the songwriters know how Fall Out Boy lyrics work but not why. Bluntly, there is not much on the album to suggest any passion actually put into this project.
Without exception, the songs range from utterly forgettable to antagonisticly tedious. The title track “Viva Las Vengeance” is well-composed and performed, but definitely wants to be more bombastic than it is. It feels like a half-finished demo which goes in one ear and out the other. However, it’s not as baffling is “Say It Louder,” whose chorus consists of a Twitter meme from 2016 or “Local God,” which contains the lyric, “it’s 2021 and I’m almost famous” between verses about Ryan Ross and Panic’s early days. Lyrics like “We signed a record deal at seventeen/hated by every local band/they say we never paid our dues/But what does that mean when money never changes hands,” on paper, are lyrics are thought-provoking and well-written. It’s unfortunate the tone of the song is so muddled it’s difficult to know exactly how Urie feels about Ross these days…or whoever he’s singing about.
In “Star Spangled Banger,” one can only hope Urie is referring to the politicians when he sings “we are the new Dead Kennedys,” but one look at the Genius lyrics dispels that hope. As anthemic as the song is trying to sound, with its blatant aesthetic inspiration from “The Star Spangled Banner” and triumphant chant “land of the brave/home of the freaks,” the song lacks the kind of universal appeal required of anthems. An example is the first verse, with quite specific about who the song is about by name-dropping “Katie and Brittany” and giving specific personal details like having a “2-point-one GPA.” Overall, it’s just a confused song that is trying far too hard to be something it was never going to be.
There really aren’t too many notable moments on the album outside of these two tracks. “Middle of a Breakup” and “Do It to Death” are phoned in and repetitive. “Sugar Soaker” and “Something About Maggie” are meandering and meaningless. No, recording the entire album live on an eight-track does not make it more artsy or impressive. In fact, it just makes the album feel flat and dull like no effort was put into the recording beyond that. A fine line that sits between a good song and a great one is in the mixing, but if there was any further mixing on this album it doesn’t show.
By the end of the record, which Urie closes by repeating the “shut up and go to bed” line from the title track, we would only be so lucky if Urie would do just that.
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Five movies for back to school season
Whether it’s your freshman year of high school or your last semester in college, class is back in session whether your like it or not. To ease the transition or fill time between classes, here are five movies to get you back into the school spirit.
1. The Half of It (2020) dir. Alice Wu
The Half of It is a romantic comedy about high school senior Ellie Chu, the incredibly smart but socially awkward daughter of Chinese immigrants who helps Paul Munsky woo the girl of her dreams through letters. With sharp observations on subjects like love, loneliness and faith written in prose bordering on Shakespearean, it’s a film that is brutally honest yet still hopeful about the messy and nonsensical world of young love. Make yourself a taco sausage and grab a Yakult before settling in for an emotional roller coaster. Pineapple. Owl. Caterpillar with glasses.
2. The Breakfast Club (1985) dir. John Hughes
An obvious choice isn’t always the wrong one, and a movie everyone’s seen isn’t bad by default. The classic film set in detention holds up surprisingly well, even with discourse that has started about Hughes and his films in recent years. Despite some of the actors being or looking closer to their mid-twenties than their teens, they’re still one of the most honest and accurate depictions of teenagers put to screen. Whether you’re a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess or a criminal, there’s something in this movie for everyone.
3. Jessica Darling’s It List (2016) dir. Ali Scher
A film for the younger set, Jessica Darling’s It List is about the titular Darling struggling to navigate her first year of middle school. To help, her older sister hands her a list of goals to accomplish to guarantee the perfect school experience. When following the list leads to confusion and disaster, Darling must figure out how to forge her own path. A fresh take on a tale told many times, Jessica Darling is a charming film with an encouraging and positive message for tweens and the inner child in all of us.
4. Along for the Ride (2022) dir. Sofia Alvarez
Adapted from the Sarah Dessen novel of the same name, Along for the Ride follows study bug and insomniac Auden West as she spends a summer in the small beachfront town of Colby breaking out of her shell before she goes to Defriese. Enter Eli, a fellow insomniac looking for a second chance after a devastating loss. Together, they embark on a quest to fill in the gaps of Auden’s adult-like childhood. A fun and relatable film for the transition from high school to college, Along for the Ride is quirky summer fun for general audiences and a reminder to readers of the book why they loved it.
5. Legally Blonde (2001) dir. Robert Luketic
A modern classic in its own right, Legally Blonde takes romantic comedy conventions and smashes them beneath a designer shoe. Sorority girl Elle Woods moves across the country from sunny California to attend Harvard Law School in an attempt to get her boyfriend back but ends up finding herself in the process. If the montage after the Halloween party isn’t reason enough to watch this again, watching Elle prove her worth without compromising the “girlier” parts of her is.
Are you back in school this semester? What are your favorite school-themed movies? Let us know!
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Op-Ed: Don’t give up on Garam
If you want a comprehensive account of the accusations against ex-Le Sserafim member Kim Garam, responses by Source Music or even just a general overview of how this scandal transpired, there are plenty of sources to turn to. This is not that.
For the purposes of this op-ed, two things are important:
1. Shortly before Le Sserafim debuted on May 2, their debut was shrouded in scandal stemming from accusations that member Kim Garam was a violent school bully.
2. On July 20, Le Sserafim’s company Source Music officially announced the company had terminated its exclusive contract with Kim Garam and her former group would go on to promote as a five-member group.
To be completely transparent: I was, and still am, in ardent support of removing Garam from the Le Sserafim lineup. Not only is it the best decision for the future of the group, as bullying scandals are taken incredibly seriously in South Korea and would likely have had a lasting detrimental effect on the group, but for the girls themselves. Not only did the remaining members of Le Sserafim seem more relaxed than ever during a V Live to celebrate the end of Fearless promotions, but the choreography for that track works much better for a five-member lineup. When there were six, members were covered up, quite often by Garam herself. Now, everyone gets their moment to shine.
But, I want to be crystal clear: when I say “the girls themselves,” that includes Garam.
At the end of the day, the general public will never know the unpolished truth of the accusations leveled against her. It’s possible she was this relentless bully who was quick to anger and caused a lot of suffering during her time at school. It’s also possible that she was the victim of a smear campaign to sabotage her debut.
In either case, there is one factor which must be kept in consideration: Kim Garam was, and still is, a child.
At sixteen years old, she is hormonal, immature and thus incredibly prone to rash decisions that can hurt herself or others. But, as children tend to do, she will grow up. As she does, she will learn better, which she has explicitly stated is her intention in an Instagram post shared by her friend. Even if she had stayed silent on the topic for the rest of her life, I’ve never supported the idea of eternal punishment for one’s mistakes, especially those made in adolescence. In a few years time, if a career as an idol is one she still wants to pursue and she learns from her experiences, I don’t see any reason why she shouldn’t re-debut.
It’s good that Kim Garam is no longer in Le Sserafim – but don’t count her out just yet.
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Op-Ed: Sad Summer Fest brings feelings of nostalgia and love for new acts
If you are like me, then you have been missing Warped Tour since it completed its final run in 2018 and you are looking for something to fill that hole in your emo heart. Well, Sad Summer Fest may not be Warped Tour, but it will definitely help fill some of the hole in your heart left from Warped Tour.
Sad Summer Fest is a tour that travels across the United States with a handful of bands and artists in the emo, pop punk and alternative scene. It is one day and only one stage. So, no worrying about having to run from stage to stage and having to choose which act to watch and which one you may have to miss. You can just pick your spot and stay there the entire day. With breaks in between sets to set up for the next group, there was time built in to get a drink, go to the bathroom, shop some merch or whatever you need to do.
I attended the Sad Summer Fest Cleveland date on August 2 at Jacobs Pavilion. This was my first time attending the tour and needless to say I was excited. Some of my favorite bands were playing as well as acts I had been wanting to see. On the lineup was: LØLØ, Hot Milk, The Summer Set, Hot Mulligan, State Champs, Mayday Parade, Waterparks and Neck Deep. The line-up was stacked, so I knew I was in for a great day.
The first act up was LØLØ. I had listened to some of her stuff in preparation for the concert and while she is not the type of music I normally gravitate towards, I still enjoyed what I heard and was l excited to see what her set was like. And she did not disappoint. Her set was full of energy and she sounded amazing. She owned the stage and could tell she was having fun. She used the whole stage and got the crowd involved.
She performed a cover of “Teenage Dirtbag” and had her guitarist put on a blonde wig with pigtails and sing part of the song with her. That was one of my favorite parts of the set. She sang ‘Debbie Downer’ which is her song with Maggie Lindeman and is probably her most well known song. Many of the songs she performed she introduced with a purpose, like one was about letting go of an ex, so you were to scream the lyrics and let go of all those feelings and that relationship. Overall, she was a fantastic performer and will definitely be adding her onto people to keep an eye on.
The next act up was Hot Milk. This was a band I had heard of and had been meaning to check out but just had not. And let me just say, after their set, they are going to quickly become a band I keep in rotation. They were high energy and entertaining and did not stop going from the second they stopped on stage. They from Manchester and Han and Jim know how to keep the crowd engaged.
They sounded phenomenal vocally and on their instruments. They showcased their skills in every aspect of their performance. If you were not a fan before their set, you were a fan after. They definitely got the energy up in the crowd and got us all moving around, jumping and rocking out. I did not want their set to end. I was engrossed and engaged from the start and wanted them to just keep going.
Some of my favorite songs from their set were ‘Teenage Runaways’, ‘Wide Awake’ and “I Think I Hate Myself”. If you have not checked out Hot Milk, I highly recommend giving them a listen because I have a feeling you are going to love them.
Next up, I was taken back to my early teenage years with The Summer Set. This band just recently announced their return after breaking up a few years ago. So, seeing them back on stage at Sad Summer Fest was definitely a treat. I remember listening to them when I was in middle school and early high school, so getting to hear some of those songs live finally was definitely nostalgic. And remember those boats I mentioned. While during their set a boat came by and honked its horn very loudly for an extended period of time, so that was fun.
They played the classics like ‘Chelsea’, ‘Boomerang’ and ‘Lightning in a Bottle’. They also brought LØLØ out to sing one of their new songs ‘Teenagers’ as well. Their set started with some technical issues but once those were all sorted off, they got it together and put on a great performance. You could tell they were happy to be back on stage and playing together. Overall, this set to me was a chance for me to relive my early days of discovering pop punk and bands that introduced me to the scene. I enjoyed the set and am excited to see what else The Summer Set releases now that they are back.
Next up was Hot Mulligan. This band I have been slowly getting into over the last few months and was excited to see what they are like live. And just like every other act of the day, they were fantastic. They sounded amazing and had a great stage presence. They looked comfortable, had a great setlist of songs and kept the crowd engaged. They had lots of fans in the crowd and that added to the performance as you could hear them sing along to the songs that they loved. I always love seeing fans in the crowd when I am still new to a group because it just makes me want to listen to the band evenmore. Which I will definitely be doing after watching their set.
Okay, the next band was State Champs and this set took me back to my junior and senior year of high school. A little back story, my first show after I started getting into the scene was Sleeping With Sirens in 2016 and one of the openers was State Champs. So, the nostalgic feelings were huge. If you like pop punk, then you know who State Champs is and you know they have some classic songs. They sang “Secrets”, “All You Are Is History”, “Criminal”, “Elevated”, “Mine is Gold” and more.
This band is just high energy. They were crowd surfers, moshing, plenty of people (including me) screaming along to all of the lyrics. Screaming pop punk lyrics at the top of your lungs is one of the best feelings. It is like letting out all your built up anger, frustration and other emotions out and it is such a release.
State Champs are one of the pop punk bands that I do not think I will ever get tired of seeing. They are consistent and energetic performers that know how to put on a fantastic set. Derek sounded great and every member was getting the crowd hyped. Ryan came over to our side and was screaming at us to get us excited and moving around and it was magical. I was like four rows from the barricade for their set and I could feel their energy. To make it even better, Ben Barlow from Neck Deep came out to sing ‘Everybody But You’ for the last song and my two favorite pop punk bands combined and it was a dream.
Next up was Mayday Parade. And I wish I had more to say about their set. However, there was some people behind us causing some issues for the people around us so I was not able to completely focus during their set. However, what I did catch I enjoyed. I mean come on, they have been around for years and have so many classics. I went crazy during ‘Jamie All Over’ like you should. I was also two almost at the barricade by this time so I could feel the energy even more. I just wish I got to be fully immersed in their set. So, I just want to put out FYI, if you are in the pit, make sure to be aware of your surroundings, go to proper areas for moshing, and try to not get so drunk that you are spilling your drinks all over the strangers in front of you and have no idea what is going on. Or atleast, maybe move towards the edge so we can properly lift and catch the crowd surfers and enjoy the set.
Waterparks were up next. And if you know me, you know Waterparks is my favorite band, so I was pumped. I was almost against the barricade and was ready to lose my mind. And they were amazing. Awsten was his usual sarcastic, energetic, and entertaining self. He put on a birthday sash, someone threw a doll head on stage and he kept it. He moved around the stage and got everyone involved. He turned us chanting “Otto” over and over into ‘Seven Nation Army’. He is just a fantastic front man. Geoff slayed the guitar and Otto killed the drums.
They performed their new songs ‘FUNERAL GREY’, ‘SELF-SABOTAGE’ and the unreleased song ‘Brainwashed’. And I got to scream “I know your dying wish is to be baptized in my spit” at the top of my lungs and it even better than I thought it would be. I also got to hear ‘21 Questions’ live for the first time in over five years and I get just as emotional as I did when I was seventeen. Also, ‘Turbulent’ goes hard every single time. This band was made for live performances. They put their all in every single time and they just keep getting better and better. I cannot wait to see them again because I know it will be even better.
Last up was Neck Deep. This is another band I have been following since I was a junior in high school and love seeing live. I actually saw them live for the first time officially in November 2021. I was supposed to see them in 2018, but that is a story for another time. Again, if you know pop punk, you know Neck Deep, or you should. Them and State Champs are too bands I highly recommend you start off with if you are trying to get into pop punk. They are from Wales and their music is fantastic, and lyrics that once again feel so good to scream at the top of your lungs in the pit.My friend and I moved to the edge of the pit for their set and we just went loose. We danced, screamed so loud and just lived in the moment. They sang a good variety of songs including ‘December’, ‘Kali Ma’, ‘Can’t Kick Up The Roots’ and ‘Citizens of Earth. They also played their new song ‘STFU’ and ended with ‘In Bloom’. Every member was moving around, interacting with the crowd and giving it their all. Their set was so much fun and the perfect way to end the day. We were probably tired, but you could not tell in that crowd. Everyone was hyped and ready to have the times of their lives to end the day.
Their whole set was just high energy and bop after bop after bop. There was not a dull moment. I highly recommend Neck Deep if you have not checked them out yet. They are also an independent band now, so go show them some love.
Overall, Sad Summer Fest was an amazing day and one of my favorite shows I have been to in a long time. From start to finish I was moving, singing and just letting myself be me. Nothing beats the feeling of being in the pit and being surrounded by people who love the music like you do and just want to have a good time. I found some acts to check out, have some nostalgia and see some of my favorite bands. If you have not checked out any of the acts I mentioned, go give them a listen and show them some support. I will for sure be checking out Sad Summer Fest next year, and I hope some of you will too.
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Bite Sized Beats: New Year’s Day’s new single “Hurts Like Hell” and loves every minute
New Year’s Day makes toxic habits fun again with their new single “Hurts Like Hell.”
The band announced their return in the most NYD way possible: a new music video where the band boasts half-red/half-black ski masks, armed with crowbars and baseball bats and scored by a jingle of clanking chains and a wicked giggle. Surrounded by fire, destruction, and eventually turning into the thing they hate to love, it’s a powerful message they are sending to the world: they are back, stronger than ever and never messing around.
Ash Costello is as fabulous as she is dangerous, her signature half-red and half-black Harley Quinn-inspired hair fresh and her stance imposing yet inviting like a demonic siren. Singing into a microphone wrapped in chains, and eventually being wrapped in chains herself, she sings about a situation that she knows she shouldn’t enjoy being in but just can’t help herself. Likening it to an addiction she can’t shake and acknowledging it might make her “damaged” or “fucked up”, she enjoys the emotional pain of the relationship too much to leave. Accompanied by a heavy yet-danceable beat and rocking guitars, “Hurts Like Hell” is as fun as it is heavy, and the comeback that half-heads have been dying to see. Put simply, the best way to describe the song is that it just rocks.
Listen to the song now on Apple Music and Spotify and catch the music video here.
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Xdinary Heroes show extraordinary talent with debut album
Xdinary Heroes fans, wait no longer. JYP Entertainment finally let your new favorite K-rock band out of the basement.
On July 20, Xdinary Heroes were finally able to greet the world properly with the aptly-named Hello, World! Their first release since their December 2021 single “Happy Death Day,” the album boasts five tracks that show exactly what this talented sextet has had in the works over the past eight months.
Despite an over-reliance on ‘na na’s” as filler lyrics, the songs are, in a word, cinematic. Regardless if you speak Korean or need to find the Genius translations, they tell vivid stories whether they’re describing mundane details in title track “Test Me” (“I’m in a hoodie/I search my octet to put on broken earphones”) or using unique metaphors in “Knock Down” (“With worries hanging like a backpack/my shoulders are heavier”) to illustrate depression and despondence.
Speaking of that title track, “Test Me” was the perfect choice to lead the group’s first comeback. Confrontational in lyrics and tone, the song begins with deceptively gentle bass plucks right before the BOOM. Even simple lyrics like the group chanting the song’s title during the chorus demand attention and, once it’s theirs, Xdinary Heroes refuse to relinquish it. “Test Me’s” entire vibe invites critics and fans alike to test their merit as a band with a confidence they’ll do nothing less than pass with flying colors.
That being said, the best song on the album has to be “Strawberry Cake,” no contest. The heartbreak and betrayal are palpable from the entire band, from the mournful wailing of Junhan’s guitar to the abject surrender of Od.e’s boredom. Jooyeon once again shines with a bass line as slippery as the snake who was coiled around the narrator for so long. With lyrics like “sweet candy liar” and “tell me to live like a puppet,” it’s a tale as old as time with as an addictive flavor as the song’s title. Honorable mention goes to “Knock Down,” a groovy track with an inescapable darkness that’s as haunting as it is catchy.
It’s hard to go through any song on this album without endlessly praising Jooyeon, the bassist with a voice like dark chocolate and a glass of cabernet. If this young man cut his fingers on his bass strings, he would bleed charisma. However, Jungsu is truly the group’s secret weapon with a stage presence fitting a more traditional idol and a voice like Wild Irish Rose: sweet like moscato, burns like whiskey.
Of course, these two don’t carry the album solely on their shoulders. Gunil is a truly underrated drummer with a voice that shouldn’t go unnoticed, and it’s hard to find a guitarist like Junhan, whose technical skill is only rivaled by the emotion he puts behind it. Od.e and Gaon absolutely steal the show in the title track with their defiant, confrontational raps, the former utilizing an onomatopoeia of wood clacking against itself before each chorus of “Strawberry Cake” to enhance the puppet metaphor. It’s subtle, intelligent additions like this that elevate the album from great to brilliant, even if the baroque Steam Powered Giraffe-eqsue “Pirates” and the energetic “Sucker Punch!” don’t quite reach the heights of the other three tracks.
While not a flawless album, it’s easily one of the strongest albums released by a rookie group this year. Here’s hoping fans won’t have to wait another eight months for another incredible installment.
Hello, World! is available to stream on all major streaming services and available to purchase wherever K-pop albums are sold.
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Act: Lovesick opener: a retrospective
The following article is going up far too late due to a combination of factors. Just in time for Hueningkai’s 20th birthday, here’s a non-comprehensive report of a tour Tomorrow X Together fans spent years waiting for.
On July 7, Tomorrow X Together kicked off their first world tour, Act: Lovesick at the Rosemont Theater. The crowd was hype from the moment they walked through the door. While Chicago MOA waited anxiously for the concert to begin, the group’s music videos played on the screens that would later broadcast high concept VCRs and their shining faces. During these videos, the crowd cheered and fawned over their favorite members. When Tomorrow X Together finally graced the stage, they positively roared.
One such fan was Lupe Vargas, 20, who had also attended the New York City date of their 2019 Star in US showcase tour. As a pre-debut fan, she was more than happy to see how far the boys have come in three years.
“I felt like I was growing up with them, you know?” Vargas said. “When I first saw them, I was 16 or 17…at first, it was like 1,000 people and now it’s 5,000. It was crazy to see them improve so much and have…a bigger set list.”
At the time of their showcase, Tomorrow X Together had only released their debut effort The Dream Chapter: Star. Over the past three years since, they’ve released five mini-albums and two full-length albums. the most recent release, Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child, showed a darker and angstier side of the group than ever before just in time for the start of the world tour.
The strongest aspect of the Chicago concert outside of the performance had to be the VCRs, video interludes that keep the audience entertained while costume and set changes are made. Except, rather than fill time, the VCRs truly enhanced the performances by using the medium to tell a complex and heart-breaking story: that of misfits who came together to make a better tomorrow only to have time and the real world kill the fairytale The imagery used was nearly biblical at times, down to fire and brimstone raining down onto their paradise. Bookending the setlist with “0X1=Love Song (I Know I Love You)” and “Good Boy Gone Bad” was a particularly genius decision, as they perfectly encapsulate naive boys ensnared in a toxic relationship finally escaping and coming out the other side bruised and broken. The performance of the rock remix of “Can’t You See Me?” was particularly powerful, as the magic island the boys inhabited has burned to the ground. Now, all they can do is walk through the flames.
Unfortunately, the show wasn’t exclusively about great performances and building a compelling story. The journey to get to the show was quite stressful for many MOA from the moment tickets went on sale. According to Vargas, the main issue fans ran into while trying to secure a spot at a show was the impossible task of beating bots to the best seats.
“Bots, during presale, were able to buy eight tickets at a time,” she said.
Another downside that was expressed by Vargas was the event’s security, which she said she wished would have been “handled a bit differently.” This was further compounded by the fact that she also attended the New York City date, where concert attendees had to walk through metal detectors.
“They just had those scanners,” she said. “I feel like, considering it’s such a small venue, they should have had metal detectors. Especially since they knew the boys were walking into the crowd, they should have done something more to prevent any sort of danger.”
While Vargas trusts “some people aren’t gonna harm them,” her desire for stronger security wasn’t unfounded. Not only did a man jump onstage during their Dallas stop, but members Beomgyu and Hueningkai both received death threats on the social platform Weverse days before the Chicago date.
Nevertheless, the show went on for fans like her and Genesis Blatchford, 18, who experience this show as her first concert.
So, how was it?
“At first I was anxious because I didn’t know anyone and I was by myself,” Blatchford said. “But, it was amazing. I would talk with the people next to me in the venue and it felt like we had been friends for a long time.”
Blatchford’s favorite tracks to hear live were “Ghosting” and “Thursday’s Child Has Far to Go,” while Vargas preferred “Blue Hour” and “Crown.” Other high points in the concert included “LO$ER=LO♡ER,” which delighted the audience with not only the uncensored version of the track but also a car themed to the music video onstage. The Ashnikko-produced track “Frost” was manic, sexy fun that really captured how far the boys have come since their “Cat and Dog” days. Ballads “Maze in the Mirror” and “Anti-Romantic” gave the quintet an opportunity to showcase chilling vocal harmonies unique to many groups in modern K-pop, once again proving their merits as leaders of the fourth generation.
Not only did the show utilize visual storytelling and their own music catalogue to dazzle the crowd with a heart-wrenching story, but it showcased the growth these five young man have experienced since their first tour. While it’s been well over a month since this concert and they’ve long left the US for the Asian leg of their tour, it’s the kind of concert that is not easily forgotten.
This was a sentiment echoed by Blatchford, whose position in the crowd didn’t stop her from enjoying the performances.
“Even though I was towards the back it was amazing,” she said. “I’ve never felt so happy.”
Tickets to the remaining dates of Tomorrow X Together’s Act: Love Sick World Tour can be found here.
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Motionless in White scores “the end of the world” with an album nobody should miss
Slinging mud and fury at the “bottom-line feeders”, Chris Motionless sings and screams his way through a memorandum of the state of the world and how fucked the world is…or is it?
Four years from their last album Graveyard Shift, Motionless in White explode back onto the scene with their sixth studio album Scoring the End of the World. While this group is no stranger to writing about societal and political issues, this body of work may be their strongest and most political collection yet.
Starting with strong with “Meltdown,” heavy drums and a strong electronic rhythm welcome us to the state of the world: a decaying mass that has occurred to our own negligence just as much as the power-hungry politicians and businessmen in control. The anthemic “We Become the Night” picks this up later in the album, furthering the expression of distaste of corporate greed above all else. It’s a call to arms to not retreat to the shadows but become them completely in order to reestablish a community that values more than status or cash. “Red White and Boom” wraps up the theme nicely with a direct “fuck you” and a fun callback to “AMERICA,” from their earlier album Infamous. Essentially, it all coagulates into a desire for a scorched earth society and a chance for a new and better one. The music pulses and rocks in a way that evokes energy, which is surely to translate well to their live shows.
What is most impressive is how Motionless in White not only manages but relishes in creating fun songs that can only be described as “Certified Spooky Bops”. One such track is “Werewolf,” which explores guilty pleasures and how they manifest themselves into a different identity. Woven throughout the track is a sexy beat, literal wolf howls and a Rockwell/Michael Jackson sample to top it all off. It’s easily one the most fun and danceable song on the record.
Another installment of their “Broadcasting from Beyond the Grave” series, “Corpse Nation,” seeks the unification of those abused and forgotten by the leaders of the world. Painting society as a pageant that has egregiously flopped and ought to be shut down, the current fallout is purely the fault of those who put it on in the first place. Continuing this trend is the lead single “Cyberhex,” a critique of the technology dependent world and how tech has fundamentally disconnected humanity from each other. Whether is a plea or a demand for reconnection in this scattered world, the message is crystal clear that it’s the only way to survive.
Chris piggybacks off of “Werewolf” to establish that the alter ego isn’t always as sexy as he seems with the song “Porcelain”. Unfortunately, this is where the record stumbles, boasting self-aggrandizing tone and on the nose lyrics (“I howled a wrecking ball through porcelain”) as he expresses regret and self-loathing over careless actions that have yet again destroyed a valuable relationship. Admittedly, the song does improve upon further listening with Chris’ earnest delivery and an impressive, dramatic musical composition. The lyrics, while a little obnoxious at first listen, effectively illustrate the mental and emotional states of the two parties involved in this particular failed relationship (the wrecking ball being an aggressive, careless force against the delicate and fragile porcelain). A few listens is almost guaranteed to win over any seasoned cynic.
If “Porcelain” doesn’t get you, the song that would win “Most Likely to Make You Cry” in its yearbook would be “Masterpiece.” Motionless in White has never been shy about admitting mistakes in relationships, but “Masterpiece” puts all those mistakes in a figurative gallery on display for all to see. While purposefully not specific on what those mistakes are, one could almost see him walking through the halls of his own memories and cringing at every wrong and all the harm he must have done. The regret in this song is genuine lyrically as well as in the delivery as he wonders how to make amends after all the hurt he’s caused the people closest to him in addition to the lack of faith he has in himself to foster healthy relationships. He has open wounds that he doesn’t know how to dress and may never heal from, and he has no one to blame but himself. In a word: ouch.
The album doesn’t shy away from further criticism or questioning of identity, going further with songs like “Cause of Death” and “Sign of Life.” Depression is personified as some ethereal being that somehow keeps finding him after he’s sworn he’s beaten it, and he’s begun again to lose himself. Ignoring it hasn’t made it go away, so the only way out is through it. “Cause of Death” actions as its spiritual sequel, dividing himself into two personalities that are true to him, but one is more toxic than the other. Essentially, the toxicity must perish in order for the hope to thrive. This message translates beautifully whether referencing a collective whole or a conflicted individual. Topping it off is another sequel song, “Burned at Both Ends II,” which continues a narrative that is also from their 2012 Infamous album. The subject of the song is struggling to find identity after leaving a toxic relationship, but refuses to take anything less than full control of his life just because the alternative might be easier. He’s found something to live for that is more meaningful.
The heaviest and most violent song on the record, unsurprisingly, is “Slaughterhouse,” which was teased and hyped on Instagram for days before being dropped as the third single. It did not disappoint, starting with vicious screams from Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose and violently describing politicians as butchers who have cut up and sold the American Dream. Bryan Garris and Chris Motionless then turn the tables, insisting that it’s those in charge who are the “pigs” who deserve to be on the chopping block. Not subtle and not for the faint of heart, this brutal track is definitely one to grab your attention and make you remember it from the first scream to the last squelch.
Closing the record is the title track “Scoring the End of the World.” If all the previous songs compose the memorandum, this is their resounding battle cry. In this culture war, Motionless in White has planted their flag and decided that they are going to fight in the best way they know how. In a genius mix of musical terminology and modern warfare, they express not the desire but the determined plan of action to use their music to inspire everyone to take back their voice and use it to influence a better tomorrow.Weaving their way through their own musical history and looking towards the future, this record is their strongest body of work yet. If the world ended tomorrow, this would be the soundtrack and there isn’t another collection out there that would contest that. Motionless in White does it again with a collection of songs that are as strong in musical composition as they are in lyrical prowess, delivering with gusto and sincerity not matched by many other artists. They’ve proven repeatedly with each new album that they only improve over time and, truly, could be their magnum opus.
Fueled by hope and a genuine love of music, the record closes with an exploding beacon of hope. The situation is dire, but all may not be as lost as one may think.
Motionless in White is currently embarking on Part II of the Trinity of Terror Tour with Ice Nine Kills and Black Veil Brides. Dates for this and Part III of the tour can be found here.
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Hello, hooligans!
So. It’s been a while.
It would be disingenuous to say my absence from writing has exclusively been from moving, although that has been taking up a good chunk of my time and attention. Part of it has been moving from part-time to full-time at my job, and another part has simply been burnout and poor mental health.
But, more than anything, it was my frustration with my chosen platform. Blogger was a fine enough start, but I realized the site didn’t have the tools or flexible customization I was looking for. So, I made the jump from there to WordPress with the intent of making it a unique domain.
Additionally, I’ve been starting to feel quite restricted by the name of my blog. I love Pop Punk Daebak, but the name makes it it feel a bit awkward to write about anything but pop punk and K-pop. I will continue to, and hopefully recruit other people to, write about these genres, but the aim of this rebrand is to expand to include other related sub-genres, movie reviews and alternative fashion.
The original blog will remain active so existing links still work (for now). But, all future articles will be posted here and the posts from PPD have been imported; I’m not only extremely proud of the work I’ve posted there, but wanted that content to be posted here without losing the original post date.
So, I look forward to building this website more and expanding the kind of content I can create. Thank you for your patience and I’m excited to show you what irons I’ve had in the fire.
Everyone is welcome to The In-Crowd.
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