Girls' Generation - 'Mr.Mr.'

Track List

01. Mr. Mr.
02. Goodbye
03. ??? (Europa)
04. Wait A Minute
05. ??? (Back Hug)
06. Soul

Editor's Note: Instead of the usual one reviewer - for this review, we have reviews from both joora and eric.

joora: 

'Mr.Mr.' was an exceptional album in the sense that all the songs thoroughly exhibit the girls' vocal talents. Each song demonstrates a harmonization that is difficult to hear in other girl groups, mainly because Girls' Generation boasts the combined vocal powers of nine girls.

The harmonization can be most strongly heard in the final track "Soul," a dance pop song with unexpected guitar riff breakdowns. The girls' vocals had more of a forceful presence on this track than on the title song, "Mr.Mr." "Mr.Mr." is a catchy dance song as well but the vocals in the beginning were kind of drowned out by the heavy background instrumentals. However, the girls' voices picked up momentum near the end. Had the vocals dominated the track throughout the entire song, then it would have been really spectacular.

"Goodbye" and "Wait a Minute" are acoustic-type tracks for which the girls adopted different styles of singing than they did for the dance tracks. The vocals sounded more 'raw' and real, as they were not blanketed by layers of synths or thick dance beats. This was especially true for "Goodbye," which is my choice of a standout track if I had to choose a favorite. The vocals were just more clearly heard in this song as opposed to the other tracks on the album. You can hear the girls' voices much better in the ballad track "Back Hug" as well, but the vocal ranges were not as diverse as the ones in "Soul," "Goodbye," or even "Mr.Mr."

Overall, the album does not disappoint and I am sure fans are simply gleeful that their beloved goddesses have finally returned. I was anticipating the girls' return as well, awaiting to discover what they would bring to the music scene after winning the YouTube Music Awards for 2013. Though, personally, I am not a big fan of Girls' Generation, this mini-album proved to be a worthy listen and further demonstrated each member's vocal abilities. 

Production: 8

Concept: 8

Tracklisting: 8

eric-r-wirsing:

Girl's Generation, (aka So Nyeo Shi Dae, SNSD, Soshi) is a nine-member girl group, and arguably one of, if not, the most popular group in K-pop today. Debuting in 2007, they came to prominence with 2009's "Gee," and have continued to crank out high-charting albums since that time. They also have attracted one of the most fanatical and devoted fan base of any K-Pop group on the planet.

In 2014, they released their fourth mini-album 'Mr.Mr.,' with the unheard-of lack of music video support because of a malfunction from lost data. Can they replicate the success of previous albums? 

The titular single "Mr.Mr." starts out with a tortured synth line, which I love. Don't give me retro -- give me interesting chords, give me something I've never heard before. "Mr.Mr." has plenty of energy, though the ending is quite abrupt. Catchy and hook-filled, the singer is telling her oppa why he's special. This album is off to a strong start, and no less than I'd expect from the winners of the 2013 YouTube Music Awards.

The second track, "Goodbye," is disappointing. It lacks voom and hooks. The melody is too simplistic like it wasn't finished. It picks up a little during the chorus, but there's something missing that I can't quite put my finger on. The lyrics are really well-crafted, imagery such as "hide like a shy diary entry" and "land of the midnight sun" make the song stand out lyrically.

"Europa" reminds me of the synth pop that dominated the American charts 1985-1989, a la bands like Swing Out Sister. Again, this song seems to lack something interesting. I don't know if the retro feel was intentional, for it feels like far less of an homage and more of a pale imitation. f(x) did this far more skillfully with "Signal" (and yes, I know Krystal and Jessica are sisters). I do like the use of Europa as a moon instead of the obvious choice: our own moon, Luna.

The fourth song, "Wait a Minute," continues the downward spiral. The beginning was thin and flat, the main verses have that Lee Hyori show tune style which I have never been into, and the chorus does little to grab me. And the "just wait a minute" in the chorus is jarring and gives the song an uneven feel. The protagonist in the song just wants the guy to stop everything and look at her -- which could be disastrous in traffic ;P.

Back Hug(n.)
1. an embrace from behind, a staple display of affection in K-dramas.
2. a saccharine ballad by Girls' Generation designed to induce Type II Diabetes.

Track 5 is "Back Hug," which wasn't to my liking at all. Very syrupy and lacking in substance, "Back Hug" doesn't at all reflect the warm feelings I get while in a loving embrace.

The last track is "Soul," and it certainly has that. Finally, some energy again! The girls seem forceful here and do it with vigor and urgency. This is more what I'm looking for when listen to K-Pop; rather than submissive, innocent, and sweet, I want bold, brassy, and demanding. This song comes the closest to what I'm into and at least ends the album on a positive note. 

Interesting. They seem to use the choruses as hooks, but in many cases it simply does not work. The voices are high enough where it seemed like the pitch was artificially brought up an octave, which sounds cartoonish to my ears. This seems very by-the-numbers, and the performances indicate they're not really into this album. It's almost like they were going through the motions because SM Entertainment said it's time for a new album. It reminded me very much of the output of J-Pop girl groups, which produce songs that are similar and bland enough so you can't tell when one track ends and the other begins without a 2 second pause. The oxygen mask on the cover art is a bit understated -- this album needs a defibrillator instead.

I realize that my reaction to this album could be deemed a bit negative at certain points.  I get it, if you like a particular band or genre you can't understand why someone else does not.  Just remember, not everyone likes the same music; it's all the variety that makes everyone a true individual. 

Production: 7
Concept: 6
Tracklisting: 8