(MINI-ALBUM REVIEW) Teen Top - Natural Born

HOT LIKE FIRE: Quite a beginning; and I mean that in terms of the album and the song itself. It was certainly louder than I had anticipated. The rapping in this song has me conflicted. At some parts, it's great, but at other parts, it's really awkward and I want it to stop. The song is an exciting, fast-paced way to start an album, but I surely can't be the only one who thinks "hot like a fire" is a tired metaphor. Though it's certainly better than 2PM's "Hot like July," which still makes me giggle.

[TITLE] 아침부터 아침까지 (ah-ah): Let me say, when this song started, I didn't expect to like it. It starts like it wants to be a ballad, despite being up tempo. However, once the song actually continues past the first rapping section, it sounds better. I know their going for "summer feel," and the chorus certainly does feel like a summer song, but outside of the chorus, the tempo is slower, so I don't know. Some lyrics are really great, others are absolute crap (I'm looking at you, "I like your butt" lyric). The things that will give them success with this song are the dance, the chorus, and the fact that their vocalists are represented well. The rapping isn't bad, but it's not revolutionary. I feel like this song will be either hit or miss with a general audience, though I think everyone will have the chorus melody stuck in their heads for a while. Check out the music video below!


5계절 (5 Seasons): Now this sounds more like summer than the title song. It's still a little slow for a summer song, though. Maybe that's their style though--let me know! It isn't a bad summer song, though I think they probably made the right decision going with "Ah-Ah" as the title, since it at least has a chorus that is suitable to a fast dance. I must say though, in terms of musicality and vocals, I prefer this song to "Ah-Ah." But unfortunately, musicality doesn't always equal a summer hit. It should, but it doesn't. :(

그 전화 받지 마 (Please): There are very few groups that can pull of rapping at the very beginning of a song, and if this song is any indication, Teen Top isn't one of them. This song really highlights their singing capabilities, and I think they should stick to them more. Their rappers are fine, but their singers are better. The best part of this song is the bridge, and you'll know it when you come to it. In a song that is essentially filler, the bridge makes it a higher quality filler song. Otherwise, the rest of it is sort of boring musically. It's a little too repetitive for its own good. I can only take so much of the same phrase.

I Love it: Please don't tell me I'm the only one that thought "Old gameboy game" when the music first started. Seriously. It's treble heavy, like old gameboy games, and it is heavily repetitive, and I distinctly remember driving myself insane listening to the soundtrack of one of those games. I'm sure someone will like this song, as each part separately is fine, but putting them all together, it just sounds jumbled and confused. Ballad? Electro? Pop? It doesn't know what it i, and I don't either. Also, I'm docking more points for the use of the word "shawty." Seriously, I thought that word was done. Throw it out, Teen Top.



헷갈려 (Confusing): Now this could have been a great summer song. I kind of wish they had used this song as the title song. The group shows off its singing and rapping in equal measure, and though it will take more convincing to make me think that the rapping is necessary, I think it's okay. Had this song had a better bass track and was a little (seriously like a tiny bit) faster in tempo, I feel like it would have been the summer anthem Teen Top should have had. It could have been such a solid song. But instead it comes out sort of like the producer went "Yeah, sounds good," and finished the song without really considering all the possibilities. You could have been great, ending song. I am so sorry.