GWSN (GIRLS IN THE PARK) – 'THE KEYS'

Track List:

1. BAZOOKA! *Title

2. Wonderboy, the Aerialist

3. Tweaks ~ Heavy cloud but no rain

4. After the bloom (alone)

GWSN has just released their newest EP, 'the Keys.' The mini-album has four tracks, including the title track "BAZOOKA!" This is their fourth EP.

For a title track, they give us "BAZOOKA!" It's more cute than danceable but that doesn't mean it's not catchy. It's pretty pleasant pop, though it doesn't quite pack the punch of its namesake. It does sound pretty damn good. "Wonderboy, the Aerialist" is a retro track. It's got that kind of jazzy piano, and old-school jaunty tune. You can see the idea they might be invoking the 19th century when carnivals were a thing. I have to hand it to them -- you don't hear this kind of tune in pop very often.

"Tweaks ~ Heavy cloud but no rain" is by far the best song on this EP. It's got disco vibes, wonderfully smooth vocals, and just an overall awesome sound. It's a low-key dance track, but still has enough meat to sink your teeth into. Why didn't they make this the title track? Wisely, they decided not to slow things down for "After the bloom (alone)." It's got much of the same disco vibe as the previous track, despite being a different song. It's done in the same tempo, which means you don't have to come down from the high of "Tweaks." It's still a good song -- even if it isn't as good.

There are some great tracks on here. Did I say some? I meant all of them. The only problem I have is that it's too darn short. Four tracks were just enough to whet my appetite for more.

MV REVIEW

The MV for "BAZOOKA!" is one of those odd ducks that hovers between meh and cool. It settles into an uneasy middle ground where one minute you're amused, the next, not so much.

The quote at the beginning kind of sets it up. Being unsure if you're dreaming or awake can cause you to see all kinds of strange things. And that might be the whole point. The lines between reality and fantasy blurring.

The whole set is drenched in neon. And the opening sequence is quite cool. And then when they pull back and they're dancing you can see a scaffolding behind them, some of the bars are neon. The net effect of this is that it's kind of cringy.

It gets better when they focus on the individual girls. Because the girls are actually doing something, whether it's finding a key hidden in a book, opening doors, or leaning on the TV in the middle of a jungle. If it's meant to be a dream, they do this quite well.

Still, as I said, it's not without its merits. And they move to different hastily constructed sets throughout the video. Some sets look like they were built in shop class with people-sized plastic panes. Others are interesting like that jungle set up.

And that song is cute and catchy all at the same time. And they do a good job of capturing that in the video, remarkably enough. Not only that, but most of it's quite fun. And that is the point of a music video, isn't it?

Score

MV Relevance...........9

MV Production..........8

MV Concept..............8

MV SCORE: 8.3

Album Production.....9

Album Concept.........8

Tracklisting...............8

ALBUM SCORE: 8.3

OVERALL................8.3