Identify is GOT’s first full length album, and was released on the 18th of November, 2014. Like the group’s previous albums, the songs are mainly concerned with themes of young love, but with a more emotional and melancholic twist in some songs, acknowledging that young love is not all playboy fun or confident confessions as displayed in the first two mini albums. The title track of the album was Stop stop it.
Jackson, a member of the group, wrote the lyrics of the song Just Tonight in collaboration with Ryan Im.
Click on the names of the songs to be redirected to a video of them on YouTube. This may be a music video, live performance, or lyric video, depending on what is available.
Stop stop it is one of the few songs where watching the music video can make the song worse. Although there are parts of the song that are as cringy as the awful styling the boys suffered through, the verses are actually quite catchy and melodic. The song is a lot of fun, but the autotuned chorus ages the song and makes it too annoying to be properly enjoyed. 2/5 stars.
Many GOT7 songs play around with interesting synth sounds, with varying degrees of success, Gimme is the first truly funky song from them. The vocals and rap sections aren’t particularly catchy or experimental, but they blend well with the instrumentation to create a playful, if somewhat stagnant sound. 2.5/5 stars.
Take My Hand is a mellower and more understated song, but with a catchy chorus and a fun, rhythmic flow throughout both verse and rap verses. The structure of the song is also pretty interesting, with lots of interjections that add texture to the song. However, it is a bit repetitive, and is therefore is best list to as background music. 3.5/5 stars.
Magnetic is a mixture of elements from other GOT7 songs. It has the mellower vibe of a song like Take My Hand, with the funkier instrumentation of a song like Gimme, and a more successfully executed version of the Bad Behaviour-esque not-quite beat drop, but instrumentation heavy, chorus. The cheekiness of the song truly elevates the listening experience. 4/5 stars.
The rhythm and flow of the lyrics and instrumentation in Just Tonight are strangely satisfying. Nevertheless, the distinctiveness of this flow only makes the song sound more repetitive, as does the short length (2:41) of the song. 3/5 stars.
Turn Up the Music is an exciting and upbeat song, but still maintains a distinctive GOT7 brand of laidback coolness. There are a few catchy lines and melodies, but the song feels somewhat stagnant and directionless by the end. 2.5/5 stars.
Stay is a nice, pleasant almost-ballad song, but doesn’t have a flavour or character to it that sets it apart from other similar songs. It’s perfectly pleasant, and utterly forgettable, with perhaps the exception of Jackson’s vocal sections that have a bit more grit. 2.5/5 stars.
Moonlight is also an almost-ballad song, but borrows some sultrier elements from R&B that make the song infinitely superior to Stay. The vocal tones of both the rappers and the vocalists shine, and the contrast between the clear beauty and emotional qualities of the vocalists’ voices and the huskier quality of the rappers is utilised to perfection. The latter third of the song also introduces slightly new patterns that keep the song interesting throughout. 4/5 stars.
She’s a monster is has a distinctive and varied instrumentation, that is full of character but also allows the vocals of the singers to shine through. The use of autotune also works well in this song, as it is more understated and adds character without aging the song. The song is a bit repetitive, but very catchy, and an excellent BGM for your everyday activities. 3.5/5 stars.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of GOT7’s early career, is that the albums consistently improved with every release. Although the title track of this album is a step back from the infectious and more timeless fun of A, the album as a whole is a step in the right direction. Some of the songs are still forgettable or overly repetitive, but there are some songs on this album that are truly, to this day, still some of their best songs.
If you have read some of my reviews for books etc. before you will know that I very rarely give 5 star ratings, so it is very impressive that two of the songs on this album got 4 stars. This album is less obviously distinctive than the group’s first two albums, but still has a quality that makes it GOT7’s own style. Overall, 3.5/5 stars for the album.
If you are wondering, I have 4 of the songs from this album downloaded: Take My Hand, Magnetic, Moonlight, and She’s a monster.
Happy listening,
Keira x.
P.S. Please remember that my album reviews are subjective. I am far from a music expert, and therefore my critiques are purely based on my own personal preferences in music, as opposed to some knowledge of what makes a good or bad song.
This is part 3 of a my series of GOT7 album reviews. You can find part 1 here, and part 2 here. I am reviewing GOT7 albums in chronological order so stay tuned for more!
Headphones and Hyperboles 