[Album Review] B1A4 - 'Sweet Girl'

AKP STAFF

B1A4 - 'SWEET GIRL'

Track List:

1. Sweet Girl
2. You Are a Girl I Am a Boy
3. After 10 Years
4. Wait
5. Love is Magic

B1A4 is going to serenade you with their new mini-album 'Sweet Girl.' The boys took the reins on the songwriting chores for their sixth EP, putting their own unique touches on each of the five tracks. According to WM Entertainment, the album has 3 different concepts: 'Boy,' 'Butterfly,' and 'Flower'; each of these concepts are woven together to make an overall theme, "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

The title track "Sweet Girl" takes its cues from disco, with the boys' silky smooth vocals guiding us through the song. Baro's raps complete the picture. There's a very not-disco guitar solo in there, but it still all works well. The song, as you might guess from the title, is an ode to a girl. Lines like "fly to you like a bee" and "like a butterfly" make me think of the concepts 'butterfly' and 'flower.'

"You Are a Girl I Am a Boy" is a soft rocker, complete with electric guitars and a couple rap segments. Despite its being entirely different from the last track, the boys handle it extremely well. There's some '70s style falsetto in here as well. The story in the song has to do with a boy who doesn't want to be "just friends" with the girl anymore. Probably fits well with the 'boy' concept.

"After 10 Years" is a high-sounding soft rock song. The boys' soft croons soon turn to a belted chorus, and the whole thing has a definite shine to it. Baro definitely sounds a bit upset in the second rap part. The lyrics characterize regret, and the guy just lets 10 years go by and wants to start over. It's not explicitly stated, but the line "how are things now?" sounds to me like he's asking a long-lost lover how she is.

The fourth song, "Wait," is a sweetly-sung ballad. Quiet and reflective, it's appearance is a little jarring among the mid-tempo songs surrounding it. The boys' vocals are layered nicely here, one blending into another and yet separate at times. The song is primarily piano-based and is asking the girl to show up if their love meant anything, and how he's stuck waiting.

On "Love is Magic," we jump to mid-tempo again. It's a smooth R&B tune which not only opens with a rap sequence but also is rap in all the main verses. This gives way to a chorus of butter-smooth croons. The lyrics are playful:

"On my way out, I stop by a convenience store
I bought chips and juice that you like
The plastic bag dangerously swings from my wrist
If I eat this, will I think of you?"

On top of that, it's an extremely relaxing, finger-snapping song.

This album encompasses a wide variety of genres, and I like the fact that it was the boys of B1A4 who came up with it, and not just their company. It's a great thing when a band takes over songwriting duties, because you get a glimpse of their likes and influences. It's also an interesting artistic turn, with different concepts that lead to a theme and a story. To me, it sounds like there's a girl the singer is hot for, and they become friends, even though he wants something more. After a decade, he's had enough of the friend zone and wants to take it somewhere else, but all he can do is wait. But after this, the sun is shining, he's got a spring in his step, and there's a sense of hope at the end. Obviously, that's just my take on this ambitious, easy-on-the-ears album.� �