TEEN TOP - RED POINT
TEEN TOP recently dropped their track "Warning Sign" off their 'RED POINT' album and have captured a new essence from their carefree boyish charms to dashing grown men! Their last hit "Ah Ah" portrayed the beauty that comes from an obsessed man, and "Warning Sign" captures a change of heart, painting the scenario of being a smooth gentleman with a suspicious heart and worried mind.�
"Warning Sign" has many appealing elements that make it a worthwhile listen! From its deeply toned beat, the guitar strumming that follows throughout, paired with tenor/falsetto pitches, the song gathered these sounds together wonderfully. My favorite aspect is the rich instrumental! It really sets a mood and picks up the pace for the individual moments occurring in the song. It opens with a strong bass strum and drum snare, taking you into a different direction before the rest of the instrumental kicks in. I'm happy it didn't keep a�dependent�groove sound entirely like 2PM's "My House", because it'd become generic fast.�The�glittering sound during Chunji's bridge is another whimsical aspect that makes the song have a mysterious atmosphere alongside the lyrics.�
I personally feel the MV was successful in adding flavor to the story. The beautiful sapphire dice and hourglass emphasis that the relationship is just, sadly, another game, even the scenes by the stairs, seem like a lost labyrinth. I also love the melting licorice color drooling down the roses, lavishly decorated walls, and angels because it is a metaphor for a tainted purity. The image you first see can be quickly swallowed up by something different. The rich white manor becomes quickly darker and in disarray, symbolizing that the rich intimacy built between them is now being destroyed. When it comes to the boys' visuals, a mature feminine look was offered with only Ricky seeming the most masculine in style. Yet I like that TEEN TOP can bounce back in forth between fragile features to suave charms. It is not an easy concept to pull, just like girls groups who want to be cute and sexy all at once.
This song is more of a relatable message than merely an enjoyable beat. The opening lyrics "You wanna play girl? No more games. Now it's over," rubs off as a confident player vibe who knows how to win the game, especially in the way it was said. However, the lyrics offer a different story with the chorus stating "I won't be fooled again, I should get away from you, baby." I like the take on this storyline as it depicts a man who isn't sad he finally caught on to his girl's antics, but was weary from the start and feels victorious from catching her in the act. The song reminds me of Rihanna's "Take a Bow" as their lyrics share a message that this game, or "show," is over now and everyone can see right through them. I like the intensity in most of Neil's and Chunji's lines because they push the listener to believe that their lover was caught red handed in the act rather than confronting them after the fact. "I know what's inside your innocent looking eyes" is my favorite verse because I think it displays that deceiving monster everyone may meet in any relationship.
Alongside the praise, there are a few aspects of this song I simply don't care for. For starters, I thought the chorus was a little weak. I understand that this song opted for a smoother take but songs like "To You" and even "Ah Ah" incorporated a catchier chorus while maintaining a sound that glides from your ears into your mind. Secondly, I thought some portions of the rap were a little lackluster. Lyrically, it didn't carry as much depth as the rest of the song intended. The lines "Everything you did. Every single thing. When I look back. I can't forgive you. I just can't," are unique for only one reason. I feel the sudden shift in music brings me into L.Joe's mind, as it reminds me of when TV shows have that dream sequence music for a character's thoughts. You can tell the lyrics are a conversation of thoughts that are quickly pacing throughout his head rather than being said. The sudden picked up pace of the electric guitar strumming matched with Niel's adlibbing and snaps build up an intensity that L.Joe's mind is about to burst and he is ready to shout the first words that come to mind, offensive or not. That is when it brings life to the chorus "Your cruel excuses are making me mad."
Diving deeper into the album, the second track "Don't Go" is likable right off the bat. It has a intimate sound with lots of R&B influence. It is another instrumental that gives life to the song with more glittering sounds and everyone's voices can shine well, as it especially suits L.Joe's and C.A.P's rapping charisma and, as expected, Niel and Chunji's steady and high vocals. Check out the album preview clip to get a taste of what I'm talking about!
"Day" is a real favorite of mine! That sassy saxophone and soft piano play beautifully together. Rapping is also a big feature in K-Pop songs these days and it definitely pushes C.A.P's and L.Joe's voices to the front more than the other songs. I hope this is a song they will promote with as well if they choose another song from their album.
The album really built a solid amount of ballads, and "Liar" is no joke! The violins are so magical and revitalizing to hear instead of the constant acoustic guitar strumming and snaps that seem to be an ongoing sound in this album. I like how much "Liar" carries that same pained love from "Warning Sign" with its thought out lyrics. The tender "oohs" warm my heart, especially when the boys sing so gracefully. The track isn't filled with too many loud notes, which boosts the peaceful atmosphere the song carries.
"Day After Day" is the vitamin C this album needed. The songs seemed to follow a more mellow flow but this track offers up some light-hearted feels instrumentally. The synthesizing sounds that ride up and down in each bridge make it a real head swaying jam. I appreciate that the song dips from a comforting sound back to something with a more infectious melody.
The last track "Don't Drink" is another suave sound that is playful with its sounds and interactive lyrics, with the side conversations playing in the background. However, I'm not a big fan of too many side convos added in songs because I'd rather hear adlibs which, to my delight, Niel happily delivered and goes hard in for each and every verse. The song's "La La La La La" verse at the end is energetic despite sounding soft. If I had to pick a summer song from this album, this song works wonders on anyone's mood simply because of the carefree, sunny attitude.
The album is nicely done but after a while it was too calming for me. It wasn't putting me to sleep but I wouldn't be surprised if I did put these songs on to fall asleep to. Overall, the promotional track was well done and gives character to the image the boys worked so hard to personify. I think the tracks worth listening to first are "Don't Drink" and "Day" because it offered more variety to their musical abilities without escaping the overall smooth as butter concept. I appreciate the personality shown in each track of the album, which is why I score 'RED POINT' so generously. Keep doing your thang TEEN TOP!
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