[ALBUM REVIEW] iKON - WELCOME BACK

1. 지못미(APOLOGY): What do these boys have to do to make their voices sound so gravelly? I know some of the most successful rappers in YG have very distinct, gravelly voices (GD and TOP, I'm looking at you), but surely YG can't cater only to gravelly voices. Some of them sound painful. Like I'd fully expect them to be coughing up blood after recording his parts, and I'm worried for him. Even if it's his natural voice....it just sounds painful. Also, who's the rapper that made a relatively calm, sad song sound like he was threatening someone (Did some research--is it Bobby?)? Hush, young one; I know you're angry, but calm thyself a little. All that about their voices, I can finally get to their song. It's fine. It reminds me of a Big Bang song from more than a couple of years ago now, which to be fair, was a popular song. But I want this new group to show me NEW things. Don't remind me of another group; make me remember you as a distinct being. Honestly, I can't believe this is a title song. For a new group, this was quite a risk, but I guess with a large company and much hype behind and around them, they can afford to take these risks. It's an adequate song, and I know many people that love it; I can see why. My problem lies in musicality: it just doesn't sound as good as it could. And that's unfortunate. Side note: on repeat, I can't tell when it begins and ends. 7.2



2. 이리오너라 (B.I & BOBBY): Okay, so Boy With the Voice I'm Worrying About (from here on out, I will call him Boy With Voice or BWV) is in this song, so it's probably Bobby. Does anyone else get a Block B "Nanlina" vibe from this? Just take away some catchiness (please notice I said some, because I did catch myself nodding along to the beat) and some of the heavy bass (and the singing), and you've got this song. I know this is supposed to be an "ANTHEM," but I'll take Block B's. It's an anthem, and I'm sure fans will swear by this song, and that's fine, but as a third party, I'd rather listen to a different anthem--one that doesn't make me want to run into their recording studio with throat lozenges. I just want them to be okay. Are they okay? Are they healthy? 6.9



3. WELCOME BACK: Why wasn't this song first? I spent a good half hour worrying that all the members of iKON needed throat surgery. Apparently they were playing with the rough voices, so I've stopped worrying a little. Except for BWV, who I'm going to worry about forever. That being said, I still don't feel like I've heard a song that makes me think they're any more than a couple of boys playing around. Is that part of their image? To not seem like they're taking this seriously? Because even though I can now say I hear the talent of the singers, it doesn't seem like there's a united sound at all. It's chaos--but maybe that's the point? I feel like I don't know what to do with this song. On one hand, I finally hear voices that don't make me worry, but at the same time, it just isn't as good musically as it could be, and I used to expect musically good things from YG. I'm not so sure anymore. 6.7


4. 리듬 타 (RHYTHM TA): Okay the instrumental in this is great. Is there an instrumental version for this song? Because I want it a lot. Also, I can finally say this is more what I was expecting as the title song. By this point, you know how I feel about the voices, but this is the song I would have chosen as the title song. It's catchy, the music is good, and it shows off their color in a way that doesn't divide opinion. The general public (that hears the music played through Hongdae and Sinchon) would be okay hearing this song, including me--I know if I hear this as I go shopping I'll be bobbing my head (because any more and people would stare.) 8.9



5. 취향저격: I think I've heard of this song--they released this earlier, yes? I can see why. This song is much more appealing on a general scale than the others so far. The musicality is solid, and the only voice I hear that could bother people is BWV. However, I feel like this song could be deceiving if this is the first song you've ever heard by them. It doesn't fit with the rest of the album so far, and as the most generally appealing, someone could jump to the conclusion they like this group, buy an album, only to find they don't like the others. To be fair, this song certainly isn't phenomenal by any means. It's just more likeable in general. 7.2



6. 오늘따라: Now this is a song I could get behind. I want the singers in iKON to only ever do songs like this. The rappers can do something else. The singers have this. Though it isn't my favorite song, I feel less on edge and worried listening to this song as I do the others. I'm really glad to hear that the singers can actually sing. I'm sort of getting tired of all the breaks in music--it feels childish, but otherwise, this song doesn't offend too badly. 7.6

7. AIRPLANE: As a general rule, I don't like songs starting with raps (unless it's the album of a rapper, but even then, the rapper has to be really skilled). The rest of the song isn't fantastic either. It's repetitive, and it's not even catchy repetitive. It's the type of repetitive that you recognize as repetitive and then immediately forget the entire song. Even after the first listen, I was tired of it. No one sounds particularly great in this song. It sounds better than others on this album, but it's just so boring. I can't believe there's a music video for this. 6.5

Score: 7.5/10