Album C-View: EXO - "EXIST"

[00:00:00] I think this song represents EXO at its best. In a way, there's sexiness in subtlety and this song is just not subtle at all. Oh! But then the chorus came around and I was like, NCT who? Oh!

[00:00:13] This was one of those songs where I thought, dang, the production gave a lot more than the melody was giving me. Viewer discretion is advised. Your faith will be criticized. That's Chris. That's Chan. Welcome to CCTV, the Nonstop Pop Show.

[00:00:31] And we will be rating and going track by track through EXO's seventh album, EXIST. Looking for an awesome global pop music podcast? Chris and I have the inside scoop with extensive experience performing on stage and working at record labels.

[00:00:46] We review and deep dive into your favorite artists' songs and careers, analyzing all of the creative and business decisions along the way. So join us on Patreon at www.phron.com and become a part of our amazing crew including

[00:00:58] Emily, Kira and Juliet for more of the inside scoop behind the music. Or you can subscribe now and let's explore the world of pop music together. Yes, and we are both huge fans of EXO and if you're new to the show, definitely go check

[00:01:12] out our Pop 101 episode where we walk through EXO's whole career so far. But as a note that was filmed before all the CBX lawsuit situations. So stay tuned after our review when we reflect a bit about that drama and what

[00:01:28] it's for the group. But first, let's deep dive into EXIST. Released in July 2023, EXIST is EXO's seventh album. Though Kai suddenly announced his military enlistment right in the middle of the album and the video recordings, his vocals are on the album, even though they

[00:01:43] promoted as seven and EXO broke its own record and had 1.8 million pre-orders in less than one month, which is really exciting. So we're going to go track by track and discuss the production vocals and lairies and give our ratings for each song.

[00:01:57] And as you're watching, we do invite you to give your ratings in the comments below. So let's go at it. Track by check. First up, we have Cream Soda, which was done by Moon Soli, Trey Jean-Marie, Kwame Kway Arma, Adrian McKinnon, Bobby Candler, Evan Nezor and Im Le.

[00:02:16] And this is the title track of the album. So what do you think of Cream Soda? This is a grower because when I heard it, I don't know what I was expecting, but even with like, you know,

[00:02:27] Don't Fight the Feeling, it was like upbeat and it was fun. And it was like, you know, electro pop. This one was definitely just R&B. Like this is like it's interesting because maybe a couple of years ago,

[00:02:38] they would have released this and would have been like, OK, whatever. Sure, sure, sure, sure. But it probably would have been a B side on an earlier album. So when I first heard it, I was like, OK, let's see what happens.

[00:02:49] I think the intro of the song with the claps and the staccato singing before the brassy part is what I think caught my ear and thought it was going to go somewhere a little bit more, not dynamic, but a little bit more energetic.

[00:03:01] The pre-hook is very smexy with the falsetto. And I think that was the whole idea of this song. Like I think Cream Soda is a great title, by the way. Like SEO purposes is whoo, the heck is my name in a song Cream Soda?

[00:03:12] You know, there's a bunch of songs called I Love You, but not a lot called Cream Soda. So I think that's cool. And there's something smooth about it. I do believe that was the intention, whatever the original English demo was, it does make sense to have

[00:03:24] this song kind of be a little bit more grown up. I mean, the men are the men. The guys are literally in like their mid to late 20s at this point. How much, you know, how much like, come on, can you do after a while?

[00:03:37] Right. So I get that. I do have to say that the vocal staff, the group's stack after the pre-hook, the falsetto pre-hook, they're a little underwhelming. But again, the song is meant to be grown. So it's not going to be super bombastic.

[00:03:50] Vocally speaking, Teniel did a whole lot of singing, which is so interesting. I was like, why is he singing here? It's not a bad thing. I don't think he's a terrible singer. It's just really funny because I'm like, you know, other members, why is he singing and rapping?

[00:04:00] It's not a bad thing. But hearing him right after Baekhyun is interesting because I wouldn't have done that. Like that part sounded like Kyungsoo could have done it. And shout out to Shuman. My boy did a lot of singing. Go ahead, Shuman.

[00:04:10] Gosh, give that boy some lines, y'all. And they did it. Like literally there's no vocoder, no perfects, no nothing, which is nice, you know? And I don't think I almost didn't miss Kai on this, but I do feel like Kai would have been a little bit more

[00:04:26] interesting to hear on it, even though he was on it. Let me featured what more. Like I didn't hear his voice as prominently as I probably would have liked, especially for this kind of song. Like he fits some songs like this, like In the Bridge. OK, thanks.

[00:04:39] I heard him in different parts too, but like, I'm like, oh, a verse part would have been nice for him too. The song did underwhelm me a bit, but now that I've kind of grown into the atmosphere around it, it's trying to embody lounge, not club.

[00:04:50] And like this is like the precursor to love shot, like the flirtation before the love shot moment for sure. Yes. So first off, I love cream soda. I don't drink soda or pop or whatever you call it,

[00:05:00] but I do drink Schweppes cream soda and I'm only allowed one every time I go back to Asia. So anyway, I love cream soda. But yes, so I actually really did not like the song the first time I heard it. I was very disappointed.

[00:05:16] Actually, the first time I heard it because spoiler, I did like the two pre-release tracks. So I was like, oh, these two are good. Like I bet the title tracks just going to be amazing, you know? So my expectations were very high,

[00:05:28] especially because I am an exo fan. I love almost all of their title tracks as well. So yeah, my expectations were very high. Thinking back on it, I think the melody is just a bit underwhelming for me overall. And it's a bit annoying. Like it's not shrill.

[00:05:44] I definitely wouldn't say it shrill because I think their falsettos are very good. So they're they're very open when they do the cream. Yeah, it's like yeah. Like they make it as full and nice as it could sound.

[00:05:59] But melodically, I think because cream is like cream, you know, that's so like super high. It's just like a little like even careful. Right? OK. Yes. So it's just a little grating. I just wish the chorus was just a bit more sexy.

[00:06:15] I don't really know what it is. I think we've said it before, like for me at least there's sexiness in subtlety. And this song is just not subtle at all in any way, like even like lyrically, like the English parts like give me that yum, yum.

[00:06:32] Like it's just like, yo, like that's not sexy. Do you know what I mean? Like you saying that like takes me out of it. So like, yes, it's like grown, but it's also like not because it's just that just sounded so juvenile. Do you know what I mean?

[00:06:47] No, I know what you mean. Yeah. I mean, they've only kind of teed of that line. I mean, like, you know, part of the sundown shoddy, like they're not they're not exempt from the. Yeah, but like if parts of this were sung with more of a whisper

[00:07:00] or like just a little more rasp or something, I just think it could have were done a lot more. It could have been a lot sexier. Like it's a little on the nose, I think that watching the performances

[00:07:13] though and listening to it more throughout these past few weeks, it has grown on me for sure. But it's definitely still very low on my list of title track favorites. You know, it's very, very low. It might even be last place right now.

[00:07:26] I need to think about it. But yeah, so it's OK. I have to say, though, I love Sehun and Chanyeol's rap moment. I think that is the highlight for me. And it's a highlight in the performances as well. Production wise, I do like it.

[00:07:41] I think the guitars are cool. I like the distorted low horns. I like the clappy beat mixed with kind of the more base heavy moments. It does give it a nice dynamic. I do think it's the melody of the vocal parts that that kind of let it down

[00:07:55] a bit for me. Hmm, that makes sense. That's reasonable. Speaking of their performances, it's been interesting to hear them not sing it live. So just FYI, guys, they were not singing live on those music shows.

[00:08:06] They did sing it live that one time on that KBS show and that, of course, on Killing Voice. Yes. But like I said, it's interesting to hear it. And it kind of goes back to what you were saying about like certain kind of melodic choices or like vocals.

[00:08:18] Like again, Chanyeol, don't mind him singing second part right after Baekhyun does not make sense to me, because his voice is a little bit too blurry in that sense that you're kind of like, it's kind of high. A smoother vocal would have been nice for there.

[00:08:30] But it's been nice to kind of watch them perform and figure out what parts they need to emphasize or what parts they need to sing. Kyungsoo is probably the one singing the falsettos mostly. Because he'll sing it. I'll see him in the back then.

[00:08:42] With his intricate dance move. Mouth is barely moving, but the sound is coming out. It's been the funniest thing to watch, which I appreciate that because the choreography is so difficult. And I was looking at it like, oh, yeah, there's nothing special. Like it's fine.

[00:08:54] Like, you know, something crazy. But then I watched the practice. And I was like, this is from Hades himself. Why is it so intricate? Like just certain little eyes. So like Kyungsoo's part, even back then when he first comes out,

[00:09:07] there's like a wrist, elbow, shoulder, shoulder, elbow, wrist motion that he does while he's singing. I'm like, F the notes. Just make sure you hit that part. It's so annoying. And then even Kyungsoo's part when they're dancing, there's like this weird ISO where they're facing left

[00:09:21] and they have to do like a whole foot, knee, hip, headjerk situation. And I'm like, there's a lot of twisty wrists and quick hands and boy, you would kill his choreography. Like after my look, I say who and I'm like, Chris could do that. He can handle this.

[00:09:35] This is hard, though. Yeah. So the part that stood out to me was actually Chen when he comes out. I think it's a trio him and the front. I forget the other two are, but he starts a second verse and he does this crazy tutting situation.

[00:09:48] I was like, why is he doing that? Well, why? Yeah, that's the question. Why not like, oh, wow, stop. But why? Yeah, they were saying that they did not do a dance challenge for this because it was too hard.

[00:09:58] I mean, part of me thinks it's also because they just couldn't bother. But sure, they can use that. I mean, I think the choreo is good. It does look fun. I would like to learn it. But again, I'm going back to the subtlety equal sexy for me.

[00:10:13] And so even the little like body roll parts and stuff, like they do like full ass. You know what I mean? Like it could be a little more subtle. The whole thing. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. I agree. So again, just one of those like why don't you get.

[00:10:28] Yeah. And if you want an example of that, it's like the first pre the first post chorus when they're all just melting down like they're in a V and they're all yeah, they're all just melting down in different levels and stuff. Like that's very effective. That was enough.

[00:10:41] And then Dio can actually sing, you know? So yes. Yeah. Well, what did you think of the video? The video is again, it's kind of going for that like not party boy like playboy lounge type. So again, it wasn't club. It was definitely not club. Yeah.

[00:10:55] It was bachelor pad. Yeah. That's it wasn't even sleazy. I wouldn't go so far as to say sleazy, but it was definitely just like, you know, rich boy type of situation. The styling was just questionable as well. I'm not going to hold you back and look like

[00:11:08] durable and that little his little pink ensemble. He's been wearing for performances. But in the video, like they seem like they were having fun. There was no like crazy story. I think it was interesting with the random white girl and the sehun scene. That's always fine.

[00:11:22] Was it Seha? Was it? She whom? Sorry. She's Suho Suho Suho. Oh, Suho. Sorry guys. I was Suho with the the the the the fizz, the suds, the suds of the water coming down the cream soda. And I was like, oh, Mama, like that's nasty.

[00:11:37] You don't really like that or maybe it wasn't nasty, but still it kind of gives you like that's what is what? You like that? I thought that was so stupid. OK, OK, OK, here's the thing, right? Like I can appreciate it because I was like, what the heck?

[00:11:49] Because at first I was like, what's the point? But then I thought about the cream of the soda. Like when you drink a root beer or cream soda, just, you know, the extra fizz at the top. So I appreciate the visual of it.

[00:11:58] I hate that he was just sitting in the car like while she's sitting there looking at him, he's sitting there. I'm like, if you don't touch that woman, dang, like they're there to be touched, but not really. That happened off camera. I guess. Oh, I guess.

[00:12:10] But moments like that, I feel like they could have leaned a little bit more into like what the song that the song means. Like just female dancers. I don't know. But like it's one of those things where I enjoyed the video,

[00:12:20] a little nod to Kai, things like that. I think that one scene with them in the box felt very super junior. I don't I don't know. It just it was towing the line between who they used to be

[00:12:29] and what Super Junior kind of looks like to people now. And that worries me a bit. That's how I feel about that. What about you? Anything stand out or like? It was fine. I guess I like the idea of the kind of bougie dinner

[00:12:43] or a bougie like bachelor party. I don't know. I get the concept of that, but I just wish there was a bit more of a story there. Like I kind of get where they were going, right?

[00:12:54] Like it starts with the dinner and then there's like kind of an after party in that smoky room. So I kind of get where they were going, but I think it could have been more interesting the way they did it. And then when they're all leaving the party,

[00:13:06] I think they could have maybe been more disheveled. Like, I don't know, just more of like even if stuff happened off screen like just like it's more of a story. Exactly. Yeah. So it was fine. I will say I hate that they are dancing

[00:13:20] in that windowless dungeon at one point. Like that is so SM. Yeah, like why? Like you're in a mansion. There are so many other things you could do that could all be dancing on the table. You know, like, I don't know. It just it was OK.

[00:13:35] No, not much replay value. No, much of the performance is work. I mean, they looked good, but like there's not much replay value. OK, so what do you rate this one? I'm going to give it a seven.

[00:13:45] It's like not for me super great, but I'll give it a seven as well. I exactly the same. It's OK. All right. The next track is a regretted by Jackson mean them joints, Adrian McKinnon, Tejasper, Lucky Day, Prince Charles and Chanyeol.

[00:14:02] Woo. OK, so this one kind of just keeps the grown and sexy feel right along, chucking right along. So how do you feel about this one? Because I have my thoughts about it and considering who wrote the song or how to hand in it.

[00:14:14] I'm like, oh, OK, what I was feeling is not wrong. Yeah. Yeah. So then joints is back again. Yeah. Yeah, it was all over all over the SN stuff. This song is also just OK for me. It's one that I rarely go back to these past few weeks.

[00:14:32] Unfortunately, I do think there is an interesting juxtaposition between kind of the more aggressive start and the and the aggressive, more aggressive transition moments. And then the verses and chorus are warmer and a bit lighter. So I appreciate what they were trying to do there.

[00:14:48] The chorus melody is OK. I think the production is also OK. Like it's very bare. So then the little flourishes that show up are very noticeable. You get the piano trills. I like that between behind the verse, at least the first verse,

[00:15:03] there's that ethereal vocal that kind of runs throughout the whole thing. So it's interesting, but it's just a tad fillery for me. This would never be in contender for a title track. You know what I mean? Like it's just kind of OK. It's just kind of there.

[00:15:19] I will say the production on the bridge is probably my favorite part. I think the rap parts are nice. It gets really full. I can imagine a really cool live band moment there and it builds really nicely into the last chorus, at least.

[00:15:30] But yeah, it's all just OK. I agree with you. And I thought like the whole grown and sexy R&B thing. It was still going with it. And then with Lucky Day on it, he's very he's like the new R&B boy. He's not that new.

[00:15:45] He's been around for a minute, but a lot of people know him for that. I thought it was over. Give my feelings over like a lot of people know him from like that TikTok sound. But yeah, he's a great R&B artist.

[00:15:56] So to see his name on this is interesting. I wonder what kind of conversation it was had. I was like, hey, we got some K-pop work on this. But I can hear some of it. And I think what really helps the song, in my opinion, is the vocalists.

[00:16:09] This isn't like super rap heavy, which is a I appreciate. Oh my god. I think this one is very simple in terms of its sonic approach and it's safe. Like, yeah, XO could do it because it's like an R&B song, but it's just almost too safe.

[00:16:20] I do appreciate like the emotional vulnerability about the song. The rappers come in during like the chorus parts kind of like as an interjection, which I appreciate because it kind of adds that layer of like my heart's on my sleeve, but there's a leather jacket over it.

[00:16:31] So it kind of just makes it a little bit cooler. Doesn't make the song better. It just helps to have that to kind of add a little bit more of a rougher texture, you know, to the ooey gooeyness of the vocals.

[00:16:45] The verses ooze and like their sweeten of vocals, like you said, like in the second verse and the prehook, but this song is kind of just an example of why having vocalists and being vocally focused is important. The melody is super simple.

[00:16:56] But then you have these guys that have control over their melisma and good technique, like the three main vocalists like float on this track. So by the time the bridge swing song around for me, the energy naturally elevated and it felt a little bit more entertaining.

[00:17:08] But because the song wasn't consistently entertaining throughout, it just kind of felt like, oh, finally, there's something that something happened here, you know, as opposed to something else. It was just, oh, finally.

[00:17:18] And yeah, because of that, I don't know if this guy's gonna be too high for me. Like it's definitely less than cream soda, which stinks. But I have to hit it with a fat ass six. Yeah, I'll go slightly higher. I'll do a six point five.

[00:17:33] I do agree. I think I've am a bit jay. I become a bit jaded with how great the exo vocalists are that I'm not easily impressed by that anymore, which is a little crazy to say, but that just shows how good they are. Yeah. So I don't know.

[00:17:49] So I give it. Yeah. So let's move on. We have Hear Me Out, which was done by Park Ji-hyun Kim Dong-hyun. Great. Jacob, Jack Rowe, Michael, or Rabi Riley, Steve Octave, George Carroll, Sade Munira, Tavan Young, Tae Jasper and Adrian McKinnon.

[00:18:11] Wow, that's a lot of people on the song. And this was the second pre-release single from the album. So wow, that is that is a lot of people, which is interesting because the song actually is relatively simple. So that's very interesting. It's giving. I have an idea.

[00:18:30] Put that down. OK, so what did you think of this one? We did get to hear this one a few weeks before the album came out. Yeah, you know, shout out to Adrian McKinnon. He's been with Essence since Four Walls and Four Walls by FX got on.

[00:18:41] Was it Billboard? No Rolling Stones. Rolling Stones like top like K-pop songs. So shout out to Adrian. He's been in the game for the longest time and writes good songs. So I can understand them like reaching out to him consistently.

[00:18:55] And this one I like because it feels like something that music Soul Child would release. So it kind of maintains that right? So it kind of maintains the R&B, Neal, Soul kind of feel and because the vocalists

[00:19:05] are good and they are R&B trained, it doesn't feel like they're like, you know, doing like karaoke, which I appreciate because there are some groups I'm like, well, if you don't stop, but they don't sound like that. And I appreciate it.

[00:19:17] I love the mix on this song. It's so good. It's perfectly mixed. And I love that during the pre and the pre hooks, right? And the bridge, the claps are brought more forward into the mix where

[00:19:30] throughout the whole song, they're kind of like back in the kind of mixing pretty like subtly, but this one's kind of immersed in the class. You feel like you're at a kickback. And oh, man, shout out to Kai. You know, his voice fits so well on this song.

[00:19:42] When his part came around, I was like, because it's different from Beckhens, a little bit more raspy, different, different than D.O.'s who's a little bit more smoother. And Chen, who's like he's their true tenor for sure.

[00:19:55] Like it's just different from all their voices and he's gotten so much better that when he does sing, you can go, yeah, yeah, I can see why you had as a title track. That's great.

[00:20:05] This song is definitely something I could play at like a barbecue and no one would notice this in Korean. So I appreciate that. And that's good because it transcends just like, oh, it's a K-pop song. It just happens to be in Korean. Is it good? Is it bad?

[00:20:18] That's for you to decide. So and I like that, you know, every pre I appreciate that. What did you think about this one? Because it's definitely one of those songs like you said, we were like, oh, this will be getting all warming us up.

[00:20:28] Yeah, yeah, yeah, I really loved this from the first time I heard it for sure. And yeah, I agree with you. It's a good barbecue song. It's a good like when you're chilling in like the backyard song or even a

[00:20:38] driving song, like it all just feels very light, a nice day. Like it gets the net going. It's got a good head up head bop ability to it. Yeah, vocally, I completely agree. I have to shout out Suho actually on this song and actually throughout the album

[00:20:54] because I think now they didn't really know how to use him for the first couple albums, I feel like, because they would kind of have him there with the three main vocalists and he could never really match up to them because he's not. He's not a power vocalist.

[00:21:09] He's a grown up. Sounds great. He's exactly. He's a career. He sounds great when he's not pushing that hard and he can be a little lighter. And so it's showcased perfectly in this song, especially in that pre-chorus.

[00:21:21] And then he had a little ad libs at the end as well. So yeah, shout out to him. He really stands out there. The harmony is in this song and especially that bridge super cool, great use of

[00:21:31] octaves, and I love that it's Kai and Chen doing that harmonized ad lib together. That's a very interesting duo. So I look forward to a live performance of this because it just it does make

[00:21:44] me wish they did more harmonies live because all those ooze and those eyes live. Yeah, would be so beautiful. We know they could do it too. It's just not in how they do vocal arrangement in K-pop, right? So yeah, it is really beautiful to listen to though.

[00:21:59] I love the chorus melody. I just think it's awesome. I love that it starts out a little lighter and then you have the more higher tenor vocalists coming in to kind of finish it off.

[00:22:10] It's all just very soft and breathy, more like how I wanted them to sing cream soda. But this one's just super warm and yeah, just like a nice sunny day is kind of like the visual that I get for it. So so yeah, I really enjoy this.

[00:22:25] What do you think of the video? It's like it's so funny because when you watch like their VCRs in their concert translation, VCR are the video interludes for those who stand for video. Cam quarter recording. Like the original the original like the regular VCR meaning.

[00:22:44] Yeah, I use it as video interludes. Interesting. Yeah. I listen guys, Chris has always laughed at me. I'm like, oh, they're doing a ment. He goes, oh my god, the men. Yeah, but you'll say that during Western concerts too.

[00:22:55] Oh, check out this VCR and I'm like, it's Beyonce. They don't call it a VCR. I'm laughing silently for those who are just listening. I put myself on mute with Chris because I guess I'll cackle. But yeah, the VCR.

[00:23:11] It looks like a VCR for concert, which I appreciate because I don't think a lot of like casual fans would notice that these guys actually have a sense of humor because their songs have been so good consistently. It's like they're very they're taking very seriously.

[00:23:22] But you if you watch any of their like behind the scenes stuff, like you're like all these guys are very much unserious. Wow. And this video kind of portrays it. They're easygoing, they're relaxed, like they're chill. Like Suho Liget has a backwards cap on.

[00:23:35] I would never peg him as that guy like how many years ago. But he's mine, his business, chill and even though he was styled, I feel like everyone's style matches their personality. Like the fact that I had purple and pink hair in this video was wearing

[00:23:44] like this motorcycle outfit, but still managed to make it look casual. I'm like, the guy would wear that. I could believe that. The video is super strange, though. I feel robbed of the pink and purple hair because of the army thing. But another conversation.

[00:23:57] But yeah, the video is strange for sure. Like I'm not sure if not so weird where I'm like chasing a story, but I'm still trying to figure out what's going on. Like I'm not sure if they're like going through like a groundhog day

[00:24:07] where they keep reliving this whole cleanup, party, party, clean up situation. Or they just kind of just having parties every night or like is it the aftermath of their parties together? I don't I don't know. But it was fun.

[00:24:19] It was just chill and kind of deceptive because the song is very like emotionally vulnerable. It's like, Hey, hear me out. Like here's how I feel about you. I'm waiting for you like no rush. But just believe me when I tell you, I feel this way about you.

[00:24:32] And the video is like, oh, yeah, we're dancing at the bowling alley. Yeah. Huh. Hey, it's giving not what it sounds like. So I'm just like, OK, that's interesting because I actually felt opposite to that or I felt differently to that because I think it's more

[00:24:49] like if this song, if you take the the angle that the songs about their friendships, then it's kind of like we're so comfortable together. Like we know that we're there for each other. And then this is like just footage of them hanging out, I guess.

[00:25:03] Yeah, the song sounds like what we said it felt like. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And they did that in the video. OK, got it. All right. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, just them living everyday life like Kai doing I don't know his laundry and stuff like ironing his shirt.

[00:25:16] Like it was like they did a good job with the like camera angles and stuff to keep it interesting at least because they were doing very mundane things for the most part. But no, I appreciate it. Like you said, they're normally very serious in all their music videos

[00:25:33] and dramatic. So it is nice to just have something a bit lighter for sure. Indeed, indeed. So how would you rate this one? Yes, so I will give this one a nine point five. How about you?

[00:25:46] I was going to give it that, but I'm going to give this one just nine. OK, yeah. Just nine. Yeah. Up next is Private Party by Moon. So Lee Brandon Ariega from Pretty Much Land and Sears. Rudy Sandalpa and Styles Fuego with MZMC.

[00:26:04] I think we've seen these names before, especially with MZMC. And shout out to Brandon for like getting in his K-pop bag, because I mean, you came from a boy group and I want you to write songs like this for your group. But I digress.

[00:26:15] You hear moments of it, though? Like if you listen to the latest Pretty Much album, you can hear moments of it, which is interesting. Yeah. A lot dirtier, though. Oh, actually, well, to be fair, this song could be very dirty. So. Yes, I love it.

[00:26:28] Sorry, I'm so dirty. So this is an instant standout for me. I don't think I'd forget if I texted you, but I texted a few people. I was like, oh, I think this should have been the title single.

[00:26:39] Just on the first listen, I was like, oh, this stands out immediately. Yeah. And I still kind of feel that way, though. Cream soda has grown on me, but I think this may have been a little bit better for worldwide appeal. But yeah, the production is really cool.

[00:26:53] I love how strong the clapping beat is. The bass hits are really strategically timed and really, really effective. The way they're used just all very, very full. Love the little bass riff lead up into the chorus as well.

[00:27:06] Of course, there are bed springs right after the chorus, too, which I think are really, really funny because it's just cheeky, I guess. So yeah, course, super, super simple, very, very catchy. I can't wait to see them perform this because I'm already picturing really good choreography for this.

[00:27:21] So don't disappoint me here. Pressure. And yeah, you know, I do love there's just little switch ups every time and they're all relatively subtle. Like every chorus is slightly different, especially that last one. You get that pop pop pop pop pop pop. I don't know the exact seats.

[00:27:35] I don't remember the exact cadence, but you know, they like at least switch it up just to keep the song interesting right to the end because the production, though the production is great, it kind of stays kind of at the same level the whole time.

[00:27:45] So it's those little switch ups that keep it interesting. Yes, I think I think the whole the style of song is like, I think Miami based on my mistaken. It's definitely like Dr. Dr. Luke getting a doctor. Look, whoa, wrong person. Uncle Luke. Sorry. Whoa. Hello. We're back.

[00:28:02] It's definitely Uncle Luke. Dance too much putting pants or like or even usher's recent song with the city girls or night night, I think of you. That kind of like percussive, like percolating kind of beat that's like Miami based.

[00:28:18] And I think that's what makes it so much fun. Like it reminds me of roller skating, neon lights, black lights. It's just fun. And I think like I think this song is like the only response to cream soda in terms of energy and in terms of like

[00:28:32] being like super upbeat. This is probably the only callback to that song on the album that I noticed where I was like, oh, OK, OK, OK. I do appreciate their sentimental songs. Like I get it. But I appreciate when they give us flirty and the song

[00:28:45] was all types of flirty. They do it so well and they're at that age I should be able to flirt. And I love the note jumps in the first verse that like Beckhyun and Schumann do from my chest to falsetto. Like then I'm singing the melody wrong.

[00:28:57] Do not do not come at me. I'm saying the new guys, you don't know it yet. Yeah, we've been listening. But you know, but you know, I do like the note jumps. That kind of makes it interesting.

[00:29:08] And oh, my God, I wish they would made this into a single. I'm going to say there's so many sonic textures in this song. Like, even though it is pretty same, same, it still has some interesting thing like it's smooth,

[00:29:18] it's bouncy, it's a wiry and then it gets better and better as it progresses, but not like in this drawing way where it's like a checks, mix, switch up or something. And I think SM is like King of the Bridge for sure. I love the bridge breakdown.

[00:29:30] Like that section with the harmonies and then the windup. It made Chen's note so much more satisfying than it did in Cream Soda. Like I get it like I get it. But this one was like harmonies, harmonies building up, building up.

[00:29:42] And he goes, I'm like, yeah, there it is. That's what it's supposed to be. And so when that part comes around, I was like, oh, shoot, the beat didn't change. It ain't changed. The beat didn't change. Just the top line did.

[00:29:53] So yeah, this one is definitely one of those. I'm just like, this would have been fire because there's no boy group right now is making songs like this. Everyone's like really serious or like hip hop, you know, noise music, which is fine. But this would have stood out.

[00:30:05] Yes. And the music video concept for Cream Soda would have totally worked, obviously. Private party. Hello. Yes. I'm saying that dungeon. Very private. All right. So I will give this one a nine. How about you? This one, I will give a 9.5. I almost gave it a 10.

[00:30:22] I almost gave it a 10. Almost. It's hard, man. Exo's discography is so good. Yeah, it's really hard. Yeah, that's the thing. Yep. Yep. Yep. Especially with like even like the last album with Can't Fight the Feeling they had, they had good B-Sides.

[00:30:35] I was like, damn, this is good. So yeah, even that it was like not their best. Right. So it's right. Okay. Moving on to track five. We have Lee So-Ran, Jackson, Morgan, Brandon, Ariaga, Pink Slip, Invernus and MZMC.

[00:30:51] And there was a little bit of drama with this one because when MZMC went on Instagram Live, he did play the original version or the demo that he produced and he was like, look, there are drums here. Like when he played the bridge.

[00:31:03] So clearly he's not happy with the final mix that was done. I mean, not the drama. I'm crying. That sucks. That stinks. Yeah. So I guess he's not happy with what they did. But actually, I don't mind it. I don't mind what they did.

[00:31:19] I think I think they tried to just give it a bit more drama by pulling back the percussion during the bridge. But yeah, yeah. Yeah. It is interesting that they don't consult those producers. Like they don't get sent the final versions before the album comes out.

[00:31:33] I find that bizarre. No, because because we talked about it with like with ADIAN and Curtis and them, they don't care. They're like, you're doing us a favor. We're going to do whatever we want with what you do. And you just get you to live with it.

[00:31:48] Yes, very. It comes out and then it's just like a lie. And you have to wait. So I feel it's kind of just like, that's not what I said. That's not what I sung. You know, but hey, listen, man, everything else is still there.

[00:32:00] So that being said, though, this song, regardless of the drums being there or not being there, is it good? That's the question. And I will say that I like the tone of the production. I think it's so interesting to have those plucky sounds.

[00:32:16] Like it's it reminds me of a tension by Charlie Puth. It has that kind of cat and mouse chase kind of feel to his very plucky. He's very not sinister, he's very mysterious in a way,

[00:32:28] not very, but it is mysterious in a way where it's like giving chase to something which is perfect because the song's title, the Brassy Synth in the chorus is a choice. So I'm going to jump right to that. That from the little kind of like fairy tale-ish

[00:32:43] kind of pluckiness into that Brassy. It was a choice. I don't know if it's a good one. I don't know if I hate, but it definitely caught my attention. Like I will say I was like, oh, this is the chorus, I suppose. Like that's what happened.

[00:32:53] Literally, the song takes the POV of the Prince Charming. And I think that's a great idea. But maybe the chorus was just a little too easy. Like give me tension in that chorus. Like give me like I'm chasing this girl, not Cinderella.

[00:33:05] La la la la la la la la la. Or like Cinderella Ella. I'm totally joking. I'm totally joking. But like it was just like, la la la la la la la. I was giving like Captain Underpants, you know, like la la la la la la.

[00:33:15] Cinderella la la la la la la. And I'm like, come on. That's a moment to go. Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun. Something give me something tension filled just to kind of differentiate this track from everything else

[00:33:28] you've already heard because here we are at track five. And this is what we got. No offense. But no, thank you. Like I feel like this SM chorus would have been even better because we could have got that group vocal. We didn't get that.

[00:33:42] And I do wonder what would have happened to the song if we would have got like a coach and sendo treatment like Savior by the voice. If you have not heard Savior by the voice, it kind of has like this kind of feel.

[00:33:53] But by the time you get to the second and third parts of the song, it kicks into a whole other gear and the beat changes. And it's like this nice little kind of housebeat. This song would have just been elevated with a different kind of outro

[00:34:06] to kind of give like the whole I'm chasing after my Cinderella. Like give me a story with the production and no offense to them, it's good. But I'm like, hmm, how far can we push it? Especially with XO, especially with them.

[00:34:18] Yeah. So I think I like the song more than you do. Though I do agree with what you're saying. I do have in my notes that I wish the build was more intense because that last chorus doesn't go as hard as I want it to.

[00:34:30] So yes, I definitely agree with you there. I appreciate this song on the album because finally there's a little bit of darkness here. Oh, yeah. Because XO excels when there's at least a little bit of darkness there because they're just good at the drama of it all.

[00:34:46] So I'm happy that this is here. Like this would have definitely fit on an older album for sure. So so yeah, I think they are always really good with this type of sound. So I appreciate it.

[00:34:57] I have to shout out the little four part harbouring at the end of the bridge. Oh my God, yes. And also, I think that might be Brandon as well because there's stuff like that all over the pretty much stuff.

[00:35:05] I think I like the chorus more than you do. I think there is tension there, I think in the way that it's produced. And also, I like how how they sing Cinderella like in that falsetto, it's kind of longing.

[00:35:20] And then the la la's are like kind of again, just kind of dark and a little foreboding. So I actually don't mind the chorus. I do agree that the verses are the highlight here. Like the rest of the song is stronger than the chorus itself.

[00:35:32] But I think it's effective in what it is and I like how heavy it kind of. I don't mind that kind of horn. Right, right. Yeah, I don't mind at all. So yeah, I actually think this one stands out on the album

[00:35:43] because it sounds a bit more like maybe something that could have been on tempo or something. So yeah, I'll give it a eight point five. I gave it a seven originally, but aside from the chorus being like, OK, whatever, I did like the song.

[00:35:58] So I'll bump it up a little bit to like an eight. I'll give it a full point. Wow, you're giving me a full point of I will. Yes. Because like I said, first I was like, God,

[00:36:07] but I remember when we first listened to it, I was like, oh my God. And this song came out wasn't mad at it. I just didn't like the chorus. I was like, dang it. It's not even the production. It's the melody of the chorus.

[00:36:15] But yeah, so I'll give it a eight. I'll be nice. You don't have to. I'll be fair, rather. I'll be fair and I've been being nice. Like I don't dislike the song. Up next is no makeup by Moon Soli. London noise, seven days and Adrian McKinnon.

[00:36:29] Hello, Adrian. Welcome back. I used to get him and Adrian mixed up all the time when I was a kid. I did not understand it. There's two different men shout to both though, because they've been killing it for SM. This one is so interesting to me

[00:36:40] because when I first heard it, I was like, I would love to hear Doby Young, shout June, I would love to hear them sing this song. But then the chorus came around and I was like, NCT who? Oh. Sorry.

[00:36:59] Cause my thing is, it's like Exo was SM's true R&B baby. Yeah. Truly. Like in our hard review, I said that Shiny was their quirky random kid that kind of popped up like in polka dots. Like that's how they kind of came out,

[00:37:15] like electro pop, R&B vocals. Yeah, but Exo was truly giving you like you know what I'm saying? So like that kind of thing is important. And which is why I kind of thought, oh Dio, oh Jaehyun, oh Xiaojun, because those vocalists were training in freaking Exo heyday.

[00:37:37] So it was natural for me to go like, oh it'd be nice to kind of hear them. But they have their own kind of sound. They have, they each have their own different like Baekhyun, Chen, Dio, Suho. They all have their own kind of sound where you're like,

[00:37:50] man there is no other group that could sound like this. Like yeah, you could sing the song, but they have their own timbre to their voices. And I'm so glad that the song was not like rap heavy. Like I can't imagine again, not hear,

[00:38:03] like to hear Mark or Taehyung on this song. No, I don't think. I don't think he can't do it, but it's just nice to kind of hear like maybe not even first album. First album is taking a way far back, but like second album Exo on this,

[00:38:18] like you know third album Exo on this. Like it's like a beast side that you're like, oh this is cute. I'm not mad at it. The production was sick on this. Like it's like a perfect little baby making jam, but then they're like Sonic Easter eggs.

[00:38:28] For me, if the song was just playing by itself production wise, I would appreciate it. It's definitely one of my, it has one of my favorite bridges. It has a brassy like synth that goes throughout the song. And those bass notes, not brassy,

[00:38:41] bassy synth notes and those bass notes, it's what keeps the song grounded for me in juxtaposition with the airy vocals that are present. So for me, I'm like, I could listen to the production by itself. I can listen to this acapella and be like,

[00:38:54] this is a good song. So for me, this is kind of like, okay, I like this. I like this a lot. And it's kind of sexy that they'll make a fix. It's kind of sexy. So I appreciate it.

[00:39:05] And it's not as boring as I thought it was going to be. Oh wow. Sorry. This album was getting me, it had me scared when I was listening through it the first time on alcohol jam. Yeah. Well, we'll discuss that in our overall thoughts later,

[00:39:18] but yeah, so I like this one. This was definitely one that was also a grower cause I was also kind of underwhelmed the first time I heard it because again, EXO has great mid tempo stuff like this already.

[00:39:31] So I just wasn't sure if this really brought anything new there, but having listened to it more actually do really like it. Chorus is just classic boy band. It's unison harmonies. They have that almost acapella moment for that final chorus.

[00:39:46] I was like, yeah, like Westlife, like they would kill this. Like all these other Western boy bands would love a song like this. So, so yeah, I love that as a big boy band fan, right? And I do love that the raps are at the end as well.

[00:40:00] Like it's a subtle part, it's just part of the outro and then it's mixed with all these extra background vocals and ad-libs and it's just a really, really satisfying outro here. I do think the melody in general is really great. I especially love the pre-chorus.

[00:40:12] I like the little stops in the music just to emphasize those moments for Chen and I think it's Baekhyun that does the second one. The melody is quite sexy, production is relatively subtle, but the bass line is pretty heavy in it, which I like everything.

[00:40:27] There's just a lot of reverb all through it as well. So it's just very atmospheric, which I appreciate. And yeah, you know, we've been talking about their vocals the whole time but I think this one does showcase their vocals very well

[00:40:39] and kind of what they're good at, right? Like obviously we've talked about the three as the strong vocal line already. And yes, you mentioned the NCT, like I'm sure this could have been an NCT like DJJ song as well.

[00:40:54] Like it totally makes sense with where they were going but I think because EXO is older and because they have all those other members that can all sing very, very well, I think EXO maybe would execute it better so it makes sense that it goes to them.

[00:41:10] But yeah, again, Suho, Xiumin and Kai, they always play an interesting role, I think vocally because like I mentioned earlier with Suho, like it took them some time to kind of know where they sit. But I think with this song and with the rest of the album,

[00:41:24] they did a good job of kind of putting them in the right places. Like I think I've complained before about Suho and I've complained before about Xiumin and like them not giving him the right parts. And so here though, he sounds really good

[00:41:37] and he sounds really, really good in this song. And yeah, again, the two rappers are great and this song actually made me miss Lay as well because I think Lay would have sounded really great on this cause he has a much thinner tone than everyone else.

[00:41:50] He does sound a little similar to Suho, but thinner than that. So he's good with this type of stuff. So I do miss him on this and I do wonder if we'll ever get him back but we'll get into that later, I guess. Gulp. Ha ha ha ha.

[00:42:04] So what do you rate this one? This one actually gave a nice, cute little score. I like it a lot. I give it a nine. But this is like my own personal taste kind of seeping in as well.

[00:42:14] I gave it a nine cause I think as an R&B track, I like you said I would love to hear a Western group do it. I love that they did it and because they're them, they sound really good

[00:42:23] and I do not want to hear any other SM group try it. Thank you very much. Yeah, no, it's solid for sure. I will give it an 8.5. Up next is Love Fool, which was done by Chah-Yubin, John Mars, Christian Fast and Jimmy Clayson.

[00:42:37] All right, so what did you think of Love Fool? Gosh, finally something like fun and simple. Like this one doesn't sound too like intense and too, you know, it's one of those songs where I'm like, oh yeah, I could see XOLs being like, this is really cute.

[00:42:54] Like this one was performances that they go around and they kind of sing into the crowd like on the cherry pickers and stuff like that. Like yeah, you know, or like a VCR song that's playing like it's bouncy, it's fresh sounding. Again, very XOL catered, it feels like.

[00:43:08] Even if it wasn't XOL caterer, I can see the fans liking it as if we're not fans. But like watching it being performed, I can see them being very cute with each other. It's very eggy-o, like you can do it

[00:43:19] and not have it be like it's like, oh God. Interesting, that's not what I picture, but continue. Well, my brain went there. But yeah, it's a nice sonic break from the Chail.RMB. I will say, I appreciate that the lyrics are kind of sappy

[00:43:31] but the delivery saves the song from being lame. Like the way they deliver the vocals keeps the lyrics from being like, really? Oh my God, you're so cheesy. I love the piano breakdown moment in the chorus. It feels like the chorus in the bridge area

[00:43:46] because it feels like very confessional in tone where it's like the guy in the middle of public being like, hey girl, I love you, what do you say? Me, if you did that to me, we're breaking up. But it feels very nice, it feels fun.

[00:43:55] But then there has like a little bit of a cool moment when you have like the little rapper interjections. Again, it's good to have these little breaks with a deeper voice because like you said earlier it helps make things sound a little bit cooler

[00:44:06] unless like, you know, na na na na na, up the gate, up the gate. It doesn't feel so cute. I think luckily because they have like those little sonic breaks or those moments where it's a little cooler it helps give the song a necessary edge.

[00:44:21] And I appreciate that. So the song is nice, I do like it. But I will also say it's not one of my favorites on the album. So yeah, I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Interesting. I think this actually is one of my favorites on the album.

[00:44:36] I think part of that though is because it totally reminds me of 2000s British pop. Like I could totally see blue doing this, I could see livery x doing this because I don't know I think it's just the way the melody is

[00:44:50] and also it's those breaks in the chorus. Give me that uh-uh, bump-a-bump. Like all of that is so British pop from the 2000s. So I love that. So I think just that nostalgia makes me love it. I really like that little switch up as well

[00:45:07] because that's what makes it more modern, right? You have, it's almost like the cocoa pop. Na na na na na na na na. Like it's almost like that. You have like Sehun doing that kind of, I don't know what he's saying, but that his little moment

[00:45:19] and then you have that vocal fry like uh-uh in the back. Yeah, yeah. It's very interesting and it adds a little darkness. It grounds the song a little bit more because it is quite fresh otherwise. So it just gave it a nice dynamic and I appreciate that.

[00:45:32] I love the little piano bridge moment. I think it's great. Again, it just feels nostalgic. Like it's soulful, like yeah, it's just dramatic. I don't know, it's great. I agree. So yeah, this like I mentioned, I think this just balances kind of the older R&B soul

[00:45:49] boy band influences that we love X04 with a more current sound that I think the song does it really well. So yeah, this one stands out for me. So I will actually give it a 9.5. Oh, okay, I gave it a 8.5, nothing too bad.

[00:46:02] It wasn't terrible, but yeah, get 8.5. Our next is another day by Mola, Chamey, Canita, Maria Hazel, Matthew Grant, Robin Ellingson and Belaz Arco. Woo, you know, another day. This was one of those songs where I thought, dang, the production gave a lot more

[00:46:20] than the melody was giving me. No offense to people who write these songs. This is not like an attack on your songwriting skills. Obviously they came out to you for a reason. But for me, the top line did not really do much.

[00:46:31] I do appreciate how Baekhyun came in into that intro. I do appreciate it, which was very deceptive because then the song lost its momentum after that man opened his mouth. I will give credit where credit is due and say that I love every pre-hook

[00:46:46] that had Chanyeol as the low harmony. That was interesting because he's underutilized in that sense like he is a perfect bass note for a lot of harmonies. Y'all should use this some more. It would make the song, it would give me voice to men.

[00:46:59] That's all I'm gonna say about that. Kyungsoo, D.O., that man has my heart. His voice is so good. Like, Baekhyun, we get it. Chan, we get it. Kicks out! Which is why his album disappointed me but that's for another conversation.

[00:47:14] But yeah, he's so good for R&B. And again, this song, like for me, just lost the opportunity to be a cool track as opposed to falling lyrically in line with romance and like somewhat uplifting. I don't really get the whole like,

[00:47:28] you know, it's another day and do it. Like it was just, oh God, I just can't. Like the instrumentation was just giving me so much more than I was getting from the top line. I feel so bad for saying that because it's not easy to write a song.

[00:47:41] I get it. But it also doesn't have to be this like simple. I don't know man. Like for me, it just wasn't enough. And that's all I'll say. I'm gonna stop. I don't wanna drag it. Well, so first off I had the exact same note as you

[00:47:53] about Chengyo. So yes, love him singing the bass octave. Yeah, so this is one also kind of like regret it that I just never remember. Oh yeah. When I listen to the album, when it comes on, I'm like, which one is this one again?

[00:48:07] Which is never great, especially on such a short album. You know, so it's not a bad song. I think again, it's just fillery. Like this would never be a title track for anyone let alone EXO. Yeah. So it's just kind of there. Like the melody is just okay.

[00:48:26] Like you said, it just doesn't really go anywhere. And the production I guess is interesting. But again, also it just kind of stays at the same level the whole time. I think they tried it with the little synthy day, day, day little post chorus.

[00:48:40] Like there's a simple effect. It is effective. It does switch it up a little bit but not enough to like up the song a little bit more for me. I think the distorted synths are cool. I don't know. It's all just okay.

[00:48:53] I think again, because the production is so bare like some of the songs we've been talking about already it does rely on their vocals, which I get it. It makes sense. They're really, really good vocalists. But when the melody isn't great, they can only do so much.

[00:49:07] So I will say they definitely did what they could with it. They all sound good. They maximized this song. Like they made it the best it could be but the song itself is like just okay. Yeah, it's again. It's just not a bad song.

[00:49:21] It's just kind of there. So yeah, I'll give it a seven. Oh, I gave it a 6.5. Yeah. So the final song on the album is Let Me In. And this one was done by Jiwon Antonio Hassan Ashie Jr. Jaden Hill, Jordane Johnson, Kelsey Merges,

[00:49:40] Noah Bearer, Kaelin Ellis, Hot Boy Rich and Enzo. Wow. A lot of names on this album and on this song. Very interesting. But some new names, which is great that they're hitting all these new people. So this song was the first pre-release single

[00:49:55] from the album and was also performed at their anniversary fan meetings earlier in 2023. This one I remember hearing and thinking, oh yeah, this is nice. I wasn't expecting it but like after being gone for so long essentially for this to be like

[00:50:17] the first thing we're hearing from them as a group, I thought, huh, I like this. This one was one of those like ooey gooey ones, R&B kind of, we like it. Wasn't as neo-sully as Hear Me Out. But you know, I liked this one.

[00:50:32] From what I can remember about like this whole album, it's a shame that we had so many songs that sounded so like chill and subtle and blah, blah, blah. So by the time you get to this one, if you haven't already been like kind of slightly bored,

[00:50:48] you get to the end of this. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. No, no, no, I agree with you, continue. But like by the time you get to this song, you almost kind of forget to appreciate how good it is.

[00:50:58] And I felt myself doing that when I heard it on the album in sequential order. But when I heard it like as the pre-release, I was like, oh, this is what I like to hear from XO. This is what I'm talking about.

[00:51:10] Nobody makes music like this no more. I sound like an old head talking about new rap, like the kids don't do this. And I was like, dang, this is what one of those songs where I'm just like, had you guys just tried

[00:51:22] a little bit harder or at least maybe if you were picking out songs from song camps, been like, this could be a single, this could be a single, this could be a single, the best one wins, forget it.

[00:51:30] And then put this on, it would have been a nice closing a nice closing song. Yeah, I think this song represents XO at its best in a way. Obviously I love the more upbeat stuff as well that they've done throughout their discography,

[00:51:44] but they shine in this type of chill R&B track that has again, a slight darkness to it, a slight melancholy to it, but also it balances out with warmth as well, like cause their vocals are so warm.

[00:51:57] So yeah, this is just very much everything I love about them. The vocals again are just absolutely flawless. And I have to say whoever did the arrangement for this one also did a really great job choosing who sings what?

[00:52:11] Cause the way they followed each other was really smart. Like Dio starting off and then Suho ending that first verse he sounds very different from Dio, but they're both vulnerable in different ways. Kai and Shuman sharing the pre-chorus that fits perfectly within their ranges.

[00:52:26] Like they just did a really, really good job giving everyone their roles there. And again, the background vocals on this song and again throughout the whole album as well, but this song during the chorus, like it's just so beautiful, the bridge is super beautiful, really long extended harmonies.

[00:52:42] But then it's mixed with this kind of almost whomping bass while the whole thing is kind of ethereal as well, just really, really beautiful. You talked about Chanyeol singing earlier. I think he shines here when he sings. They're here, yes.

[00:52:55] Yeah, like that last moment kind of near the end of the song is so beautiful and it really, really stands out and I look forward to it like every time I listen to it. And I do love how melodic the rap verses are this time as well.

[00:53:09] And how they almost sound conversational as well, the way they are sung. So I just think it's all really beautiful. But yeah, I think this whole thing is awesome. I love how atmospheric it is. It's dreamy, it's ethereal. It's like a bunch of angels singing to you.

[00:53:23] Yeah, it's like that lo-fi kind of like actually popular, like, ugh. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Cause like that bridge, that harmony almost sounds like a choir the way it comes in. It's just so full. So yeah, I think it's really, really beautiful

[00:53:35] and it's definitely grown on me a lot. To be fair, we've had this one the longest. So maybe other songs on this album will grow on me the same way. But while I listen to this album, I look forward to the end cause of this song. So yeah.

[00:53:49] For me, I just felt like it was a more solid pre-release. Like it gave you like, okay, this album, this is what's slow on the album, what else is on it? But then you had a bunch of just slow and I'm just like, hey. Yeah, yeah.

[00:54:01] So what did you think of the video? The video was interesting. Okay, I usually try to tin hat but I didn't watch the video that much but I do appreciate the kind of like, it felt almost like retrospective. Like they were all kind of isolated,

[00:54:14] all looking in like places in the woods and the movie theater just by themselves or it can be surrounded by people where they buy themselves. The dog scene with Kai was questionable. It's just, you know, I don't know if you got anything from that

[00:54:26] but like I said, I think just, I don't know if there's a story as much as it's meant to be just symbolic. I was thinking more like the world could end at any moment so kind of it's a way of life and don't like wallow

[00:54:40] in your feelings too much or don't like wallow in your sadness too much. Okay, that's a crashing rock. Because it starts off, because it reverts. Like the rock goes away, like time reverses because I think it starts off super lonely. Like you have this sad kid

[00:54:54] who like throws this rock into the water and then they're all super sad and alone and you have this weird K drama moment between D.O. and Sehun of like them all just being alone but then at the end, then like they talk to each other

[00:55:08] and then like Chen and Xiumin, you know, they're like looking at each other awkwardly in the theater and then at the end, they're like sitting together and laughing and watching their old footage. So it's almost like, yeah, I mean, it is self retrospective.

[00:55:20] I think kind of like what you were saying before but I think there is something to do with kind of like like connect while you still have time. Yeah, almost. Okay, I mean, yeah. Cause a crashing rock on the car, the crash is falling down. Yeah, you're right.

[00:55:33] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, okay. Makes sense. I will say they should have leaned into their powers more for this because it just made no sense. Like why was Chen Yol the one making the rock flow? You know that should have been D.O., right? Isn't D.O. Earth?

[00:55:51] Like he should have been setting it on fire or like Xiumin could have been like in an alone, like on a melting ice cap or something. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it makes sense that world is ending. Why not use exoplanet powers?

[00:56:04] Yeah, like the powers really could have very easily been incorporated here in a very cool and more mature way. So I just thought that was an missed opportunity. I do like the black and white solo shots as well.

[00:56:14] Almost made it feel like it was a goodbye song though which I don't love. Cause it felt just so melancholic in that way. But I think it was effective in the song and it made the colored parts like just more effective.

[00:56:28] Yeah, shout out to Kai and that dog. Okay, all that being said with the world ending and such, how do you feel? What's your score? Is it a perfect song? I think so. You think so? Yeah, I think this is like one of their best.

[00:56:42] Like it can go right along with whatever they done previously. So you give it a 10. This is my 10 song. Yes, me too. This is also my 10. All right. So we're at the section called cut or keep where we cut one song and keep one song.

[00:56:59] So if you guys have made it this far, let us know your rankings, excuse me your ratings in the comments below and also let us know what songs you would cut and what songs you would keep to show a non-fan

[00:57:09] or just to kind of be like, yo, this is XO, all right? So yeah, Chris. What song would you cut from the exist album? I would cut regret it. It's just again, it was kind of, I mean, I think it's very clear which two songs it was between,

[00:57:26] but that one I at least, I don't know. There's just nothing about it that makes me ever turn back to it. So. I'm gonna cut another day. Yeah, that was the other one there. I'm waiting for a fan to look. I love these songs. Good for you.

[00:57:39] Yeah, good for you. That's what's great about music. Yeah. Good for your no offense, but it's not our taste. What song would you keep rather? For me, I think it's pretty obvious we play out the same one, private party. I just think, should have been single. That's it.

[00:57:55] I'm gonna down the hill. Should have been a single. Yeah, I would probably pick that one as well. Or let me in, I guess between the two. Yeah. Oh, not a lot of fool. I'm surprised. I mean, let me in is pretty perfect. Oh, felt that. All right.

[00:58:12] So what is your overall rating for this album? Are you doing the average score? Or are you just kind of like as a whole thing? No, just as a whole. Yeah, I mean, I think overall, oh, this is hard.

[00:58:22] I think overall, I guess I'd give it an eight. I think it's interesting, you know, we've been kind of alluding to it this whole time. The first time I heard this album and we tried not to text too much about it

[00:58:33] so we could talk about it properly today and share each other's opinions for the first time. But I was very underwhelmed and I don't think that was helped by my dislike of cream soda, right? So the first time I heard it, I was like, okay, cream soda, no.

[00:58:48] Regret it, no. And then I was like, okay, hearing me out is great but I've already heard it. And then as you can tell from the scores, I actually do like all those songs after that but they're all kind of the same. Like it's the same vibe,

[00:59:03] it's the same production style, like it's all kind of minimalistic, it's electronic, it's R&B, it's all relatively light. Like yes, there are elements of darkness. Yes, there are elements of what are all these things we've been talking about

[00:59:18] but as a whole, it kind of all blends together because especially the first time I heard it, like I was at work and I just had it on the background, I just had it on loop and I was like, I don't remember any of these songs.

[00:59:28] Same. This is a problem. Same though. Yeah, same. So yeah, so I think now, I think I will definitely take parts of this and they will go on like my best of exo playlist and stuff. I can see that happening but as a project,

[00:59:43] it's not even close to a couple of their albums for me, like The War and Tempo. It just doesn't match that for me at all. I appreciate them going for a more mature sound but that doesn't mean that you can't be fun,

[00:59:57] that you can't be dramatic, that you can't be intense. Like you can still give variety in the album. So yeah, I mean, I look forward to eventual performances. I think that will help maybe because it helps with cream soda.

[01:00:12] So I think if I see them perform some of these songs that might make me like them more. So I think it's a solid album. I think at the end of the day, they have such a high standard

[01:00:20] that even a solid album is like not their best, right? So. You know. Wait, what's your score though? What's your, you give it an eight, right? Yeah, I give it an eight. Yeah, I think I'll give it an eight too.

[01:00:31] And I got, someone was so mad at me when I was like, yeah, exoskeleton, they're at the end of their run here. A couple months ago when we recorded it and we finally uploaded and then what happened, this album for me just didn't feel as well thought out.

[01:00:48] I'm gonna say it at this point, you can drag me all you want. Hey, you can get it forever. They can be friends for forever. Okay. But at the end of the day, it's like, unfortunately, they don't really have that much control

[01:00:58] over what gets put on the album as much as we as fans would love them to. Cause I feel like their names weren't really in there as much as they have been like in the past. Like, Daniel Roder's raps or blah, blah, blah,

[01:01:09] Roder's raps or this person kind of contributed vocals or something like, I mean, like an idea of writing credit or something. Like there's nothing really there. And then even some names that we've seen with their biggest songs are not on their tracks. No offense to the new names,

[01:01:23] not saying you can't write a song, but it does say something when you have your best hitters writing for like NCT or writing for like Espa. And then suddenly you're kind of going back to people that you worked with when they first started out

[01:01:35] or like brand new names that no one really heard of. There's nothing wrong with that whatsoever, but it just doesn't feel like you were like giving them the best of the best. And with SM Songwriting Cans, they can write like hundreds of songs

[01:01:45] and they kind of just all go through it and they're like, hey, bam, this was makes the most sense for an album. Like I said, no discredit to anyone, but because you're dealing with a group that's been out for 10 years now, the fans are gonna be like,

[01:01:58] especially fans like us are gonna think, okay, where's the rest of it? Okay, where's my El Dorado? Where's my, you know, like we can go down a whole list of like, where's my blah, blah, blah, where's this? Where's that? Where's my 2.0 of growl even at this point?

[01:02:11] Like I know it's been that long, but like where's my 2.0 of something? And a lot of that doesn't have it and which could be a good thing, but because they're not reinventing the wheel either, it just feels like it's just safe. And because it's safe,

[01:02:25] I'm giving it a safe score of eight. Pickle fat eight doesn't mean they're not talented. It's just for me, I feel like they could have just given us so much more fun stuff. Like Rover makes no sense, but yeah, it's a fun song.

[01:02:35] Like, oh, they deserve so much more fun things like private party. They should have been like two more. One more song to kind of like cream soda, private party and then one more song to kind of just bring that crap home.

[01:02:46] The whole party boy thing home, but yeah. Yeah. All right, so since we filmed our 101, our pop 101 episode. So Kai went to the military, Baekhyun, Chen and Su Min sued SM Entertainment to try to get out of their contract. There was all this weird dramatic back and forth

[01:03:05] between the lawyers where they were talking about like unfair treatment and not knowing how their fees were calculated, et cetera, et cetera. But then it was very oddly resolved very quickly. And suddenly they're back with SM. They're like, they renew their contract, we're fine. No.

[01:03:22] Although Baekhyun has still been kind of shady with his post, he'll post stuff, he'll like cut out the SM logo. Like it's clearly like there's still some tension there. So I think that might lead into why maybe there's less effort put into the album. I don't know, yeah.

[01:03:38] And apparently there's also still one member of EXO that hasn't renewed yet. Like they kind of alluded to that with the whole weird killing voice cancellation slash postponement. It's all very odd. They've also been advertising events in the next couple of months without Sehun.

[01:03:54] So I think clearly Sehun's about to go to the military as well. And then Lei is no longer with SM, but technically part of EXO, but no one even mentions him ever. So is he even part of EXO? I don't know. No. So in terms of what's next,

[01:04:13] from what we know, there's a nothing plan for the group really. They've just talked about some solo stuff coming up. Yeah. What are you thinking? What's your prediction? Oh, so I can get dragged again and they be right months later. Yes. Yes, let's see.

[01:04:29] Okay, okay, here's my thing. I wanna give a shout out to Sehun for this concept. I will say he seemed the most coolest for me because like he totally fit like the whole like... He's killing it. He took that lead dancer role really well

[01:04:41] and he sounds really good too. So yes, I can shout out to... Sorry, I forgot to say that the whole time. Say when you did with your long back and your long neck, go off. I anticipate if they do manage anything, we might get one weekend,

[01:04:57] maybe two weekends at the Seoul Stadium. That's pushing it. That is pushing it. Pushing it. P-U-S-H-I-N-G-ing it, okay? We'll see what happens. We'll see, but I don't think we're gonna get... I would love a nice stadium tour so someone can bootleg it, but it's not gonna happen.

[01:05:14] I do believe that if they do continue with this company, maybe one more album, maybe one more album. And if not one more album, trap the guys again and make them release solo stuff and then when they're ready to go, they're just gonna go.

[01:05:29] I don't think it's gonna be a suju situation where they're like, we love each other so much, we're gonna figure this out. Chung-soo's an actor, he's not. No. Baekhyun, yeah, but he wants to leave. I feel like this is...

[01:05:40] I don't know how long their contract term is for. I don't know what they negotiated, but again, something about this just doesn't feel like Infinity and Beyond, it just feels like for now, pacifying kind of like... With all the crap that's gone on with SM,

[01:05:56] this feels like a pacifier moment where it's like, okay, it's fine for now. We want the fans to have a nice experience and not have it be covered with BS, even though it kind of started out that way because SM is notorious.

[01:06:09] I don't think they're gonna be able to keep a lot of these guys. So I think it's very interesting looking at Super Junior because they were given their own sub-label, right? So when that happened, I was like, oh wow,

[01:06:18] so they must have kind of a lot of control there. But then two of them just left. Two of them just left, but then said they're still part of Super Junior. So I think that's very interesting because that means clearly even with the sub-label,

[01:06:30] it still wasn't an ideal situation. And then those two, it's Donghae and Eunhyuk, I believe, who they're now starting their own label. If they all do wanna continue in the group, them all leaving together, I could see that happening,

[01:06:45] but we're gonna have to wait at least two years for say who to come back. Yep, and that's what's crazy about it. Yeah, so I could see kind of the same situation as what you've been saying. I don't think anything else is gonna happen as a group.

[01:06:57] Like they still have a few commitments over the next couple months. Repackage? Question mark? No. No, right. It also makes it even worse it's like dang we can't get a repackage. Maybe we'll get a Christmas song this, I don't know maybe potentially, but they'd be a six though.

[01:07:12] They'd be six, so it'd be a bit odd. I don't know, but they have all their vocalists back. So maybe, I don't know. But the whole contract thing just was bizarre. It was just resolved so weirdly and quickly.

[01:07:25] It was kind of like, okay, we just need to like put this under the rug for now so that doesn't distract from the album coming out. But like, yeah. Yeah, so. I'm just saying, I don't like it. Yeah, so it's a bit odd.

[01:07:36] For now, I'll keep watching the old Exoplanets and I'm happy with what they've given us so far. I would rather do that than have it be like some BS that takes them down to go down like flames. So I'll take it right now, you know? Yeah, yeah.

[01:07:51] And I am looking forward to some of the solo stuff actually. Like I'm excited for Baekhyun to come back again as a solo artist. Very curious what, if anything, Super M will do because apparently that's happening again now. Baekhyun's like, F.B.L.I. coming back. Very interesting.

[01:08:08] There's still a lot going on. And it's all just a big question mark. But yeah, I'm just glad that we at least got this comeback because for a minute it felt like we weren't gonna get it at all. Right, right. That's a shame. God dang it.

[01:08:20] Well, XOLs don't drag us or do, but you know, be reasonable. What do y'all think about this album? And let us know what other albums you'd like to hear us review. Be sure to check out our previous album review of SHINee's Hard.

[01:08:33] I can't do it like Chris can, but you know, be sure to check that out. And hang out with us and the crew on Patreon to get priority choice. And you can comment below or message us at cctvpops.com all social media.

[01:08:43] Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on those notifications for our YouTube channel. And if you're enjoying the show on a podcast platform, please give us a follow rating and a review. Until next time, that's Chris. That's Xayin. And we're signing up from CTV, the nonstop pop show.

[01:08:59] Cream soda. Cream. That sugar roll me. Soda.