[Song & MV Review] Oh My Girl - 'Summer Party'

AKP STAFF

OH MY GIRL � SUMMER PARTY / Listen To My Word

Tracklist:

1. A-ing (feat. Skull & HaHa)
2. Christmas in Summer
3. Je T'aime
4. Lies You Can See

Probably best known for 'Closer' (since it hit the Billboard K-pop Top 20), Oh My Girl has released a single album called 'Summer Party' in the USA, or 'Listen to My Word' elsewhere. Each the songs are covers of classic K-pop tracks, reworked to sound uniquely Oh My Girl-ish, and each has a brand new rap by Mimi.

The first song (and the title track) is "A-ing." The song's okay. It has this pseudo-ethnic groove, almost Caribbean in tone. But it's fairly solidly pop. The main problem I have with it is reggae duo Skull and HaHa. They don't mesh well with the song and more often sound like carnival barkers. It was very off-putting and not fun, at first. It grew on me a lot, though.

"Je T'aime" means "I love you" in French and is probably the best song on here. It's pretty simple and easy. It also resonated with me more than "A-ing." There are some echoes of "Windy Day" here, but it's a quieter burn. I think the buildup to the chorus has a good payoff there. I like the liveliness along with the sheer cuteness. This cover maintained the spirit of the original really well.

"Christmas in Summer" is more interesting as a concept than a song, which is the problem. It's not particularly intriguing on its own, and the other songs around it aren't strong enough to prop it up. It's got some vague jazzy overtones along with a slide guitar, and it feels way too much like filler. I like the original better.

I think that the real strength of "Lies You Can See" is the girls' voices. It's a slower song, not quite a ballad, but definitely sans the frantic energy of a banger. It's got a vaguely jazzy feel to it. A slow, soulful jam. The song itself is very soothing, and I think it has to do with the vocal work. There's beautiful harmony and each girl lends her unique voice to the song. I like how Mimi's rap meshes with the rest of the tune.

Frankly, I could have used a livelier collection of songs. When I hear the words "summer party" I think barbecues, loud music, and excitement, not soothing and quiet songs. While the girls did a decent job with the covers,� this single needed a real banger to shake things up a little. I'm holding out for their next comeback.

MV REVIEW

I have to confess that I don't like the beginning too much. Once it gets going, though, it's absolutely adorable. About 30 seconds in, it picks up. Searching for seashells, sitting in bathtubs filled with flowers, and playing in a flying machine are some of the highlights of this video. Plus a blonde Mimi!

The dance scenes, which happen quite a bit, are aegyo personified. They're cute, if not technically perfect. It's all shot in the same room, but at least they show you interesting things. One of the things I love about this group is their playful image, which is on display in this MV.