[Album & MV Review] Akdong Musician - 'Spring'

AKP STAFF

AKDONG MUSICIAN - SPRING

Tracklist:

1. Re-bye
2. How People Move
3. Haughty Girl
4. Green Window
5. Every Little Thing
6. Around

They wowed you with their single "Time and Fallen Leaves," and now they're back, this time when things are green and growing with the prosaically-titled 'Spring.' This folk pop brother and sister duo consists of Chanhyuk and Suhyun, Suhyun being the primary vocalist. This is their first extended play or EP.

The first title track, "Re-bye" is about the bubbliest, most upbeat song about a breakup that I've heard to date. It had me smiling in spite of myself, especially around Suhyun's superb vocal snaps.

"How People Move" is the standout surprise on the disc. They've adopted a big brass section for this number, and the lyrics are as playful as the tune. I love the rush I got when I first listened to this.

The rest of the album runs the gamut from a cute love story to loneliness and to noticing your surroundings and being thankful. Each of the tracks have that singular AKMU sound that should be familiar to fans.

I like how these guys aren't slaves to the metronome. The vocals have this free and easy feeling to them. They continue the tradition that they started on 'Play' with bright, happy songs. There's something pure about this album, featuring real-sounding instruments, definitely not over-produced. Despite the upbeat tunes, this album has a chill vibe to it and is a wonderful way to welcome a change of seasons.

MV REVIEW 1: RE-BYE

The duo end up as stagehands in this video. Suhyun is snubbed by the lead actress, so they devise a number of deadly endings for the pompous performer. From there, we witness a variety of hateful hilarity.

As much as I dislike murder portrayed in a lighthearted manner, this was extremely well-done, even if it all was tongue-in-cheek. The stage was essentially for a musical performance, and the set was lavish and ornate. Chanhyuk's part seemed very Chaplin-esque, especially the way it was filmed. It's also important to note that the gal did not actually die, but was frightened half to death.

Overall, this was a funny production. Not only were there lush production values but also there were funny moments and arrangements that timed perfectly with the different parts of the song. This gets my wholehearted stamp of approval.

MV REVIEW 2: HOW PEOPLE MOVE

If I thought the MV for "Re-bye" was good, it was nothing compared to "How People Move." Here all logic and proportion are thrown to the winds as they engage in a variety of madcap adventures. They dance in a playroom, and sometimes they're actually in the game, as Chanhyuk is tied up by toys and Suhyun is menaced by a giant die tumbling near her slender frame. All this and more as they run through halls with Escher-inspired stairs and multiple clones of the duo open different doors simultaneously.

This was highly engaging, and the energy of the song and enthusiasm they both show are highly infectious. The production values are quite high, and it doesn't look like they skimped on the special effects, either. There are some nice touches in the very beginning too, adroitly setting the scene. This was extremely well-done.

Score

MV Relevance..........9
MV Production.........9
MV Concept.............9
Album Production...9
Album Concept........9
Tracklisting..............9