2AM � Let's Talk

After a year hiatus for solo promotions, 2AM is back together as a unit for 'Let's Talk.' Known primarily for their ballads, 'Let's Talk' is somewhat of a different beast, giving fans not only what they expect but also a few surprises, showcasing their individual talents nicely.   

The album opens with "To. AM (For you)," an a capella intro which almost seems like they're singing to the fans:

For you, who waited
I'll sing this song
I will always stay here for you

Switching to track 2, "Days Like Today," this tune starts out ballad-like with a piano intro, then switches to mid tempo.  It's still very ballad-y, but has that soft-rock groove to it. The silky harmonies work really well here.



"Show Yourself," the supposed title track, treks into full-on ballad territory. It's got the piano, the guitar, the sweeping orchestral strains that rise to meet the heartbroken vocals. The lyrics are evocative:

 "Come back to me like the warm spring sunlight, like it's the first time"

"Happy Ending" has a very different intro. It sounds similar to buzzing electrical feedback, and then a different tone of feedback that leads into the main tune, which seems backmasked. I like that, as I rarely hear that in K-pop, much less in a ballad. The lyrics indicate that the ending was anything but happy.  

The fifth tune, "Realized," has the standard accoutrements for a ballad, but the vocals and lyrics help drive this song. Clever -- it finally hits him that she's no longer around because of the things that are different in his life.



Track 6, "Love Actually," is cheery and midtempo. It takes the piano and other instrumentation we've heard and picks up the pace a bit. The lyrics match quite well, as he's got a love interest, and he's contemplating being more than just her friend. I wish him luck -- being friendzoned is not fun.

"All Right" ratchets up the tempo even more, an odd thing considering the subject matter. A jangly acoustic guitar keeps things moving along. You can tell from the lyrics that everything is not all right.



The next song, "Breakup Day," slows things down again, wrapping a ballad around a piano driven melody. Sincere vocals tell her that he really doesn't want to break up.

"I Know" starts out with bit more beat and melody than most ballads. An electric guitar keeps the time while Changmin, Seulong, Jo Kwon, and Jinwoon sing their parts. Amusingly, it almost seems to continue the theme of the last song, as he's finally accepted that they're breaking up.



"You're Mine" heralds the solo parts of the album.  Sung by Changmin, it's a pleasant soft-rock offering talking about how he found his last girlfriend. It's notably more cheery than the other tracks.

In a complete shift from the rest of the album, "Dance," as you might guess, is a dance track. In some ways I think Jo Kwon is one of the more gifted vocalists in the group. It's fantastic how the production of the song highlights his voice. Definitely a tune to get your heart pumping and your body moving. In my opinion the best song on the album, but YMMV -- I enjoy dance tracks more than ballads.



Jinwoon's song, "Preparation," is slower than Jo Kwon's, but no less interesting. The melody is guitar-centered, and there are hints of both acoustic and electric guitars. I like how it gets a bit harder during the chorus, and then settles back down during the main verses. The lyrics are dark, talking about a love grown cold.

The last track is "loveskin," a smooth tune sung around an acoustic guitar. Seulong's voice is noticably higher than his bandmates, trespassing into falsetto territory on this song.  The tune fits well with the bedroom lyrics.

I have to commend them: they've continued the trend started on 'Nocturne,' where they stray somewhat from the all-ballad format, and with a full album, they can include more material well outside their usual genre. They have a nice mix of tunes here from dance to soft rock and of course, the ballads that made them famous. There's some seriously strong vocal work here, and the range is impressive. They should win even more awards when they take this show on the road.

Recommended tracks: Dance, Days Like Today

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