[Song & MV Review] TWICE - 'Page Two'

AKP STAFF

TWICE � 'PAGE TWO'

Track List:

1. Cheer Up
2. Precious Love
3. Touchdown
4. Ready to Talk
5. Woohoo
6. My Headphones On
7. I'm Gonna Be a Star (CD Bonus Track)

With songs still trending from likely the most successful debut so far, rookie girl group TWICE has turned a new page in their saga with the EP 'Page Two.' The MV for "Like Ooh-Ahh" has reached 59 million views, making it the most viewed debut music video of any K-pop group. So how does the latest release stack up?

"Cheer Up"
Bright and catchy, this tune is their title track. It's not as good as "Like Ooh-Ahh," despite having Black Eyed Pilseung on writing duties once more. What it lacks musically it makes up for lyrically, telling a tale of girls whose social life is so active they don't have time for a guy. The title of the song is about how the guy needs to cheer up -- they'll call him soon.

"Precious Love"
A remake of the Park Ji Yoon-penned track of the same name from her 1998 release. It has everything that you expect of a remake -- same tempo, same melody, same lyrics, but for the addition of a Dahyun/Chaeyoung rap that saves this otherwise tepid tune. The song, of course, is about a breakup.

"Touchdown"
This tune has a hot beginning, and the excitement doesn't let up. I would have used this as the title track, just because they put a lot of heart and soul into it. They sound like their favorite team has just scored the winning point, and the enthusiasm is infectious. There's even a cute nod to halftime shows with a marching band. In this song, they equate scoring in American football with getting a guy.

"Ready to Talk"
This is a rap-heavy track, which simply helps the song be more awesome than it already is. It has kind of a bluesy tone which works well with the girls' voices. It's got a killer hook: "Slightest things, when you irritate me / Slightest things, I will be however I want to be." The takeaway? They're ready to say hi to their crush.

"Woohoo"
An exuberant tune, they set up an interesting thing with the vocals. The melody is vaguely retro, where one of them sings, and a girl with a higher vocal echoes it. There's an English fail with the opening lines;�"Welcome to my world" sounds more like "Come to my wall," making the message rather more cryptic. Despite this, the track is a lot of fun. They're saying that despite their confidence they get nervous around their crush too.

"My Headphones On"
An easy hook and thrumming synths characterize this outlier. Noticeably different, it features the girls chanting almost like they were in a schoolyard. I like this one a lot, the feel and the attitude. They're describing the good feeling they get from listening to music and using headphones to drown out their ex.

"I'm Gonna Be a Star"
The production-drenched "I'm Gonna Be a Star" was first heard on the reality survival show 'Sixteen.' It sounds just as good as it did live, maybe even better since the studio version features the staccato vox I love.

This EP feels kind of uneven -- it takes a bit to get to the worthwhile tunes, as the title and remake are bland. They redeem themselves with "Touchdown" onward, but the fierceness that suffused their debut is notably absent. It doesn't blunt the sharpness of the songs here, but it's something I miss. It's not a bad album, but it could be better.

MV REVIEW

It's a spectacle as the girls trip from one scene (and character) to another. A country scene (complete with cowboy hat), geisha, action movie (with guns!), and so on. They keep the action moving nicely, until they all end up in the kitchen, still in costume.

The dancing is something that TWICE excels at. I've always enjoyed their cute antics, and in this MV in particular. They were on point here, with the gestures and movements studied and dynamic.

The wardrobe was definitely top-notch, from Tomb Raider chic to school uniforms and cheerleader outfits. Each piece of apparel is entirely appropriate for the environment it was featured in.

When it started, I'll admit, I wasn't impressed -- until I saw what they were doing (didn't take long). It was fun to see what outlandish scene they'd end up in next. While not an original concept (i.e, AOA Black -- "Get Out"), it's still highly enjoyable. Definitely thumbs up.

Score

MV Relevance..........8
MV Production.........9
MV Concept.............9
Album Production...7
Album Concept.......9
Tracklisting..............7