1. Always
2. Always (Inst.)�



The girls of A Pink want to thank their fans for standing with them with their new single "Always!" The tune was released as a digital single back on April 19 to celebrate their sixth anniversary since their debut.



"Always" has that strumming that starts out so many pop tunes, and then we get some synth, and Hayoung's lovely voice starts out the song. There are some nice flourishes, particularly in the beginning. Then her voice gives way to Naeun, then Bomi, and the rest of the lovely sextet as the song continues apace.



The production gets more exciting once we get to the chorus, and there's your payoff, with all the golden hooks we've come to expect (like the counting) and the outlying lyric "always" sung in a high register by Namjoo and later Eunji.

It actually sort of hearkens back to A Pink's earlier tunes. It's actually better than much of their output lately�and is guaranteed to put a spring in your step. Far from being a club-banger or a ballad, it's right down the middle. But still, it has plenty of energy, more cute moments, and just overall sounds high quality.

In short, this perfect pop song sounds exactly like it's supposed to. It hits the ear (and the feels) precisely the way an A Pink song should. Listening to this band is 'always' a pleasure.

MV REVIEW

About half the video has them surrounded by these cutesy 8-bit sprite frames that show them in various situations, like Bomi eating computer generated fruit, low-res hands floating next to Eunji, and the girls between a pixelated rose and cactus. Jagged hearts and magnifying glasses also make an appearance. The video is largely full of aegyo and definitely hews to A Pink's cute concept.

There's no dancing and no wardrobe changes. No plot, not even a hint of one. Just random video game-style sequences wedded to live action shots. Their apparel is also respectful and normal. In an ever-increasing sexy-concept-dominated MVscape, this is refreshing.



The great thing is, after 6 years in the industry, the girls have grown up to be absolute stunners, and they appear as bright and happy as ever in this MV. Obviously, one can't be upbeat all the time, but it's nice to see A Pink in top form here. It's a lot better than a group that is just going through the motions before disbanding.

So where are we at with this? Well, I love the 8-bit stuff. This is simply adorable to someone like me who grew up with that. It's sort of an evolution from the animation that graces some past MVs and is becoming more common. I think it's incorporated well here, and some of it can at least make you smile. And that's worth a good rating, I think.

Score

MV Relevance.......8
MV Production.......9
MV Concept...........9

Songwriting...........9
Composition..........9
Impression............9