To the delight of JYJ fans, the trio have finally released their second full-length album, 'Just Us'—this is their first since 'In Heaven' released back in 2011, and members Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu have once again graced us with their smooth vocals.

Anticipation was high for their comeback.  allkpop previously reported that there were 120,000 units of albums sold during the pre-sale alone.  The hype did not die down with the official release as the album achieved an immediate all-kill on music charts with multiple tracks lining up at the top 10.  So, did their album, which will be their last before mandatory military service, fulfill its high expectations?  Let's break down the album and find out! 

"Just Us" sets the tone for the entire album.  Rather than opting for a "we're back and number 1" message that we see many artists portray in their intro tracks, they go for a sophisticated sound, simply whispering "just us."  This statement perfectly embodies the mature charms of JYJ and eases listeners into their promotional lead single, "Back Seat."

"Back Seat" is an R&B, slow jam track.  This track is definitely a more sexual song than we are used to hearing, but I'm a fan—although, to be honest, I could do without Yoochun's sultry English introduction.  That aside, their smooth vocals really fit perfectly with the sound.  As they say in the song: "the mood is right."  Check out the music video below (ooOoh):

The mood quickly moves on from baby-making music to a damper mood with a break-up song, "Letting Go." The "f*** off" in the lyrics may have come from left field, but this "I'm moving on" track is nice and light.

The album delves deeper with the track, "7 Years Old," Junsu's solo track about the beauty of innocent love and a man's wish to return to the simpler emotions felt by a young boy.

One of the highlights of this album is "Dad, You There?"  Yoochun's tribute to his relationship with his father is really a beautiful track.  The heartfelt emotion in the lyrics allows the trio's voices to really shine.  The final line--"you're my hero, my angel"—after the climax harmony composing of strong vocals is the perfect ending to the track.

"So So" is another love song with one of my favorite melodies that sounds like it came straight out of a K-Pop drama while it's follow-up tracks, "2:30 in the Morning" and "Let Me See," ride on the feeling of regret in retrospect of love.  "2:30 in the Morning" has a different sound with a Western indie/urban feel while "Let Me See" showcases their strong vocals with minimal backtracking. 

Yoochun really shocked me in the next track, "30." He sounds like he came straight out of AOMG with his stylistic flow while reflecting on his life.  It meshes nicely with the guitar solos and drum beats—this song makes me feel like I'm on a cloud, and I love this different sound from JYJ.

"Baboboy" is the quintessential "I was played" boy band song in this album.  The up-tempo beat is super catchy, though.  On the other hand, "Dear J" steers in a completely different direction with powerful lyrics and electric guitar solos, including a free-bird feel with lyrics on love and freedom.  "Creation" follows the same theme of freedom.

The tracks final song was produced by popular American artist, Chris Brown.  "Valentine" is sung completely in English, and you can definitely hear the Western influences in the production of this track.  It sounds like a hybrid: Chris Brown meets Justin Timberlake.  Although it doesn't sound like a JYJ song, it's catchy nonetheless. 

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Overall, JYJ did a great job showcasing the vocals they are adored for and experimenting with new sounds.  My one complaint would be that I felt like the album didn't have a real theme or flow—it sounded more like a compilation of songs just put together.  However, the mix of love, happiness, regret, and anger gives listeners a little sampler of all sorts of emotions.  The album, with self-composed and produced tracks, definitely proved that all members of JYJ are talented artists that continue to mature and grow with their music. It won't be too long before the members enlist in the military, so enjoy this until we see them again.