[MV & Album Review] PRISTIN � 'SCHXXL OUT / We Like'

AKP STAFF

PRISTIN �� SCHXXL OUT

Track List:

1. WE ARE PRISTIN
2. WE LIKE *Title
3. ALOHA
4. TINA
5. YOU'RE MY BOY

Following up on their debut 'Hi! PRISTIN,'�PRISTIN has come out with a sizzling comeback to heat up your summer. The title is 'SCHXXL OUT,' and their concept is skipping school. There are five tracks on their second EP, and this time the girls had a hand in writing the lyrics and composing these songs.�

"WE ARE PRISTIN" starts out with a cheerleader chant, which seems to be popular right now. Fortunately that awkward beginning transitions into a pretty good tune. I like the urgent feel of the melody, and the vocal flourishes in the pre-chorus are awesome.

The title track "WE LIKE" is a fire jam. Regardless of how I feel about the chorus (not as meaty as I might like), it's insistent enough to be seriously catchy. It's big and bold, loud and dumb, and really really danceable. My heart belongs to the songs where the girls are out there and being confident, so this one managed to catch my ear and hang on.�

"ALOHA" is a piece of pure pop goodness. It's light, sweet, and cute, and a refreshing come down from the more frantic energy of "WE LIKE."� And unlike some of their tunes, everyone has a part in this one, which I like. And it has more than one rap part, which I absolutely love. �

"TINA" is a tropical house beat which is just perfect for summer. Despite being tempted to make this song about a girl's name, it's just used as a nonsense word in this tune. I like how they took pains to make it sound more like an island beat than a pop tune, and you can almost imagine laying on a hot beach somewhere listening to it. �

The last tune on here is "YOU'RE MY BOY," which starts out like a ballad�and ends up more as soft pop (at least at first). The song is cute and light, and entirely easy on the ears. It picks up a little as it progresses, and pretty soon there are happy pulsing synths, faux saxophones, and attitude-laden raps. It's a great finisher, as it has a little bit for everyone. �

This release is probably better than their debut. It hangs together better�and is altogether more cohesive. I like that the girls took part in the process -- it makes it more personal and that comes right through in the overall sound. And that title track sticks in your head whether you want it there or not. School is out for now, and I -- for one -- am glad.

MV REVIEW

The MV takes place in that iconic teen hangout, the mall. The girls sneak in after hours, trying on clothes, eating junk food, and evading night watchmen. Until the twist ending, at any rate.

Despite the mall being closed, we have a preponderance of bright colors and rooms flooded with light. There are also some cute scenes in there that give it a lighthearted feel. It's mischievous. It's also bold and upfront, just like the song.

With the girls trying on clothes, that makes the costume changes a little more natural and logical. They have only about costume changes, though I can well imagine the cost of clothing for all 10 members! Still, the ones we have are fun, and the star studded apparel -- not sure what's up with that, but they rocked it.

The dancing has some decent choreo. One of the things I liked is that they dispensed with aegyo, and went for more confident, cheerful moves. That's entirely appropriate for the song, and it worked well.