MBLAQ - MIRROR

Tracklist:

1. Resurrection
2. Mirror
3. Every Day
4. Hey U
5. Eyes On You
6. I Know U Want Me
7. Four Seasons, 24 hours
8. Tree

Appearing for the first time as a trio, MBLAQ has dropped their new summer release, "Mirror." Seung Ho, GO, and Mir continue to bring it after the departures of Lee Joon and Thunder.

The intro track is the appropriately titled "Resurrection." Quiet, reflective, piano-driven, and peaceful, almost as if in contemplation of the new era for the group. There are curious beeps at the end, like a hospital heart monitor. It's soothing, whatever you choose to make of it.



"Mirror," the title track, is unusual as it seems almost like 3 or 4 tracks squished together. It starts out ballad-like, then shifts to mid-tempo during the vocals. At 0:42, it morphs yet again with guitar and snaps. The rest of the song does the same, bringing some continuity to the whole thing, but the flow is off, somehow. It's hard to just get into.

"Everyday" has more in common with smooth jazz than anything else, using the traditional structures like understated drums and a clean picking style. I enjoy smooth jazz, so this was sort of a breath of fresh air.



"Hey U" continues in much the same vein as "Everyday." A funk-pop fusion, this song describes how the boys are lonely. There's some cleverness in the lyrics, where it goes from "hey U" to "like U." Also the singer tries to convince us that he likes being alone, but near the end he breaks down and admits he wants to fall in love.

"Eyes On You" is another intro track, containing the same chorus as "I Know U Want Me." This is another sweet smooth jazz composition, as well, this time more keyboard-heavy.



Funky and more urgent than "Hey U," "I Know U Want Me" is almost another club banger. It's smoother than that and more even-tempo'd. And there's more than one hook to make this song take forever to get out of your head. Lyrically, it's not hard to see where this song is going.  

"Four Seasons, 24 hours" is the slow intro song for "Tree," entirely composed around a piano. Occasionally direct, occasionally meandering, I'm assuming this has nothing to do with a hotel stay. ;)



The lone ballad on the disc, "Tree," is a lot like the previous track, which gave us a good sample of what to expect. The heartbroken vocals are sung well. The lyrics compare the singer to a tree:

"Even when the strong winds blow
Like a tree, I'll stay at the same place, even if it's hard
If your heart is hurting, I'll be your shade"

Evocative and pretty, "Tree" is a nice end to the album.

The songs on this album seem to come in pairs. "Resurrection" contains some notes from "Mirror," "Everyday" from "Hey U," and more obviously "Eyes on You" and "I Know U Want Me." That likely is the origin of the disc's name. Each track has a "mirrored" intro song.



MBLAQ is known for experimenting with different genres, and this disc is no exception. I love the "mirror" concept for this album. Plus, they seem to have a thing for funk and smooth jazz this time around. It appears they have largely abandoned dance-pop hits like "Stay" in favor of a more low-key sound. 'Mirror' is a cool glass of lemonade on a blistering summer day -- inviting and refreshing, original and fresh. Welcome to the new MBLAQ.

MV REVIEW

The video lacks coherence as a story, even as the imagery was clear. What it lacked in sense, it made up for in feeling. There's a clear note of regret running through the whole thing, meshing well with the song that it is matched with.

I also have to hand it to them -- I didn't think this song lent itself at all well to a dance, but they had one anyway. The movements were precise and appropriate, very well done. There wasn't much shown, but what I saw was pretty skillfully done.



I also have to commend their stylist. I didn't feel like they raided the wardrobe department of "People of Walmart" this time. A lot of times, I'll see floral print or polka dot ensembles that just looks strange on a guy.

I like it. At first, I wondered what they were trying to do, and then the significance of the imagery and style hit me. The tone is nicely conveyed. So yes, I have to unabashedly give this video a thumbs up.

SEE ALSO: Moon Ga Bi's past interview receives renewed attention following the latest paternity controversy with Jung Woo Sung