[Album and MV Review] B2ST - 'Ordinary'

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B2ST - 'ORDINARY'

Track List:
1. YeY
2. Gotta Go To Work
3. Suite
4. At That Place
5. Take It
6. Oh Honey

B2ST proves that they are anything but 'Ordinary.' After some time spent on Japanese activities, they've returned to Korea with this release. This album features the pre-release track "Gotta Go To Work." The entire EP (except for one song)� was written, composed, and arranged by the Good Life team, which includes member Junhyung and Kim Tae Joo. The sole exception is "Oh Honey," composed and written by Kikwang.

Lacking an intro track, the EP launches immediately into "YeY." An upbeat, danceable song, it reminds me of nothing so much as a 2PM song. Not like that's a bad thing, but it does make me wonder why. The boys are saying their sick and tired of being sad, of sitting in one place. So they're going to break out, down some soju, and have a good time. The chorus is feelgood, insistent, and hella catchy.

"Gotta Go To Work" is their pre-release track. And go to work they definitely do. This is a lighter and poppier tune than we're used to hearing from the boys. There are horns, and their tenors are pushed a bit higher than normal. They kill it, as usual, and Junhyung's raps save it from being wretchedly cute, and bring it back down to earth.

The awkwardly titled "Suite Room" is a smooth piece, it meanders a bit, but some of the vocals and the rap save it. It has definite R&B leanings, and shows off the boys' vocals nicely. The lyrics themselves talk about offering sanctuary to a girl who is caught between boyfriends.

"At That Place" picks up the tempo a bit. It starts out with a piping synth, then winds up with more of a guitar and piano inspired sound, the piping doesn't resume until the chorus. It's a soft rock/electropop fusion about wanting to see their girl again. It's upbeat, short, sweet, and seems to contain more hope in it's tone than you'd expect from an "I want you back" song.

"Take It" is a jaunty ride into a man's broken heart. Despite the slightly upbeat tone, it's telling the girl to just take it all since she's already taken his heart anyway. Junhyung sounds bitter as he spits his raps, and everything comes together well. The chorus, "take it all," makes a great hook.

The album winds up with "Oh Honey," a mid-tempo ballad written by Kikwang. It's nice to see him contributing more since B2ST is obviously more than Junhyung and his backup band. Honey is sweetly sung and played.

B2ST appears to have slowed it down a lot, opting for more of a R&B sound than anything else. It's definitely different, but I miss some of the more epic tracks from 'Time.' That album was composed, written, and arranged by the same team, but has a very different feel to it. It still all sounded good, but I needed more than one listen to have it fall easily upon the ears. Still, it's an important step in the evolution of this band, and I really can't wait to find out what's next!

MV REVIEW

Be happy, ladies, there's some shirt-ripping going on here.

The boys from B2ST are back with a new video, and it's definitely different from what we've seen this summer. The plot, such as it is, has the boys trying to escape from the situations they find themselves in. Hyunseung wakes in a trashpile in the alley, Dongwoon's in the bathroom trying to clear his head after drinking, Doojoon's apparently a rich guy with a girl on each arm who ends up alone regardless. They're all trying to have a good time.

The costumes, while they could be wild, are not. It's club attire when they're in the club, and they rock it well. Even during the dance sequences jeans and t-shirts seem to be the order of the day. Which is good -- because I thought they looked so out of place in hip-hop attire in "Good Luck" that I just couldn't watch.

The dancing is pretty sweet and on point; boy bands (as compared to girl groups) always seem to get the more challenging moves, and here is no exception. They killed it, and there's a bit of that fan service I mentioned.

This was a fun ride. Much like Big Bang's "Bang Bang Bang," it's not so much the MV as the song and the MV together that keep you watching. If you're a fan, you'll be bouncing along from beginning to end.

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