[SINGLE REVIEW] EXO - LIGHTSABER

Okay, so first of all, I'm going to separate this song from the Disney/Star Wars connection and give this song its due in its own right. The reason being is that as a Star Wars fan, I am not particularly fond of any pop act (from Korea or otherwise) being asked to create a pop song for the new Star Wars film. As far as I am concerned, John Williams should be the only one creating music for Star Wars. If that changes come the release of the soundtrack to The Force Awakens in December, I am going to be supremely upset. I'm pretty sure the bar scene in A New Hope would have felt very differently had the band been performing ABBA's "Dancing Queen."

Now, having said all of that, the score I end up giving this single will have nothing to do with Star Wars. It'll purely be based on the music by itself. On to the music!

First of all, I'm tempted to deduct points for the Vader breath at the beginning, but I shall resist. I'm not sure what Darth Vader has to do with this besides the fact that he knew how to handle one, but considering this song is about lightsabers, I would have preferred to hear the unsheathing of one. That's always a good way to start something, let's be honest with each other. Since Darth Vader doesn't really make another appearance, I'll let it go.

However, I cannot let go how repetitive the chorus is.To be fair, choruses usually take up a good chunk of song, but choruses also usually have more words than "lightsaber" and "lifesaver" (Cute connection, even if it makes me think of Jedis sucking on Life Saver candies). These two words happen so often, it's a little hard to find something else to talk about. The beat and instrumental is good, but SM Entertainment is known for their catchy beats. My only problem with the beat itself is the "drop" bits. Never been a fan. Just drop the beat, don't interrupt to tell me.

As for the vocal I think EXO's rapping has gotten better. A couple of their singers have been good for years, and though I'm not sure I can say the other singers have improved a lot, the rapping doesn't feel as awkward as it has in some of their previous releases, and it stands out without making me cringe.

Overall: This sounds like an EXO song with the word "lightsaber" thrown in a lot. It's catchy, and though I probably won't listen to it again today, I can almost guarantee it'll be stuck in my head for at least the next 8 hours. That being said, the song really isn't that remarkable outside of the Star Wars connection; it's just another EXO song. They've certainly had better, but mass appeal is SM's game, so it's still good. Personally, I won't be downloading it, but that's due to my indignation at Star Wars being involved more than not liking the song. In fact, on its own, I don't mind the song, even after more listens than I would have given it otherwise.

Score: 2.3/3