Recently I was in the sudden phase of listening to Set It Off’s “Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing”.
One last kick up the ass for the finale of this song could have definitely excelled it to its full potential though, another shortfall from the *13* songwriters behind this. There’s aspects of this song I prefer to ‘Lovesong’, but overall I think ‘Lovesong’ is a bit more potent. This is such a good opportunity to be more experimental and embrace the emo and the angst in all its glory?ģ) The first time I listened to the song and heard the ‘I’m a loser, I’m a loser’ in the hook, my brain (somehow, unfortunately) made the link to ‘I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo’ and now I’m just gonna think about radiohead, and how I’d much rather be listening to them instead every time this song comes on ??️
If i see one more tweet about ‘fuck gender norms’ or ‘fuck stereotypes’ I’m gonna rip my hair out, the stylists aren’t even trying.
Half of them look like they’ve stepped out of Season 3 of American Horror Story, the other half dress like my Aunt at a funeral. There’s some pretty big hit makers on the credits of this track, and not 1 out of the 13 of them could come up with anything less perfunctory?Ģ) The styling of the stages. However, I do have my own personal gripes with this comeback.ġ)‘Lover with a dollar sign is a loser’ is such a lame, half assed lyric and yet it’s what the whole song centres around. I’m really fond of their current self-described ‘emo-core’ era lol. TXT have proven their own versatility since debut, and their progression from ‘Crown’ to now has been very exciting to watch, and I appreciate and enjoy every style they’ve taken on and made their own. HooksĪs apart of the teenage angst-filled target audience for this song, I can say they’ve done a good job at satisfying said audience. Instead, LO$ER=LO♡ER acts as a satisfying - if slight - comedown from the mighty ferocity of 0X1=LOVESONG. With thirteen credited writers, you’d think they could come up with something to boost the song’s finale. A standout Yeonjun rap adds bite during the bridge, and this would have been the perfect time for a key change or a blazing guitar solo to vault LO$ER to another level. The melody here is catchy, moving from a soaring refrain to a chant-along structure that will lodge in your brain whether you want it there or not. After that emotional catharsis, the track coasts into its hook with an easy – almost laidback – road trip vibe. Instead, the bombast occurs during the explosive pre-chorus. Its two-part chorus has a driving, rebellious energy, but I long for the instrumental to punch with the same intensity as LOVESONG. In a K-pop climate filled with breakdowns and switch-ups and spectacles, it’s rare to hear a song this uncomplicated.įrom the teasers, I expected LO$ER=LO♡ER to feel more anthemic. The track’s straightforward nature is a strength. Take one of Bigbang’s old rockers and merge it with today’s production trends and you’ve got LO$ER. I mean, there aren’t a ton of ideas going on here. I’m always astounded when a pop song this simple encompasses thirteen (!) co-writers.
Repackage track LO$ER=LO♡ER continues LOVESONG‘s rock-influenced style, acting as a suitable companion to round out their strong album. It’s amazing how well this angsty sound fits a group who debuted with the light and buoyant Crown. Several months later, the song has exceeded all expectations, ranking among my favorite comebacks of 2021. When TXT released 0X1=LOVESONG at the tail end of May, I wasn’t sure whether its catchy pop punk sound would fade quickly or grow into one of their strongest title tracks.