Album title: R U Ready?
Artist: Lovelyz
Genre: K-Pop/Dance/R&B
Nationality: Korean
Release date: February 26
Position in Discography: Second
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Since I began this, a lot more, yes
Average RYM Score: 2.95
After a long hiatus, back to K-Pop we go. Seems for some reason this album was re-released in May under a new name, but from what I've heard of this genre to date it seems most of it is the same, corporate-produced line of happy pop, and it's getting tougher to say anything distinct about any of the bands, all of whom seem to blend together into one bubbly mass of female hormones and boppy pop tunes that copy American styles and tropes. This could be NCT127, Hello Venus, SES, April or any of the K-Pop bands I've already listened to: there's really very little difference, at least that I can discern. I'm sure their fans would disagree. There are of course the obligatory ballads, and “Morning Star” is a very nice one. Hmm. And it's followed by another, this time “First Snow”. Both very nice.
One song that does grab my attention is the kind of pop/rock tune after “Knock Knock” which seems to translate merely to “The”, but it stands out as something different on a pretty bland and unvaried album. Still, this is K-Pop, so don't expect too much. It's entertaining, it's happy, it's harmless. It's K-Pop: that is its blessing. It is also its curse.
Check out more from this artist? Unlikely
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Likely
Expectation Index: 0