PARK BOM – 'SPRING'

Track List:

1. Spring (feat. Sandara Park)

2. My Lover

3. Shame

Former 2NE1 singer Park Bom has released her long-awaited solo single album. She hasn't released a single since 2011, nor any music since 2017, following 2NE1's disbandment. This album has a total of three tracks including ‘Spring‘, ‘My Lover’ and ‘Shame‘. As a bonus, the title track even features Sandara Park, and Blackjacks might remember her as one of the members of that historic girl group. But now it's Bom's turn to shine.

"Spring" has just an epic sound to it. It's not really a ballad or a club-banger, but that nebulous space in-between. It's very uplifting and showcases Bom's superior vocal talent. Her voice is just as bold and in your face as it was with the disbanded supergroup. Sandara Park (a.k.a. fellow ex-2NE1 member Dara), has a guest turn here, and she softens it up some. Though there's a part of her delivery where she spits words out like bullets from a machine gun, and it gave me chills.

"My Lover" still mellows things out, but not quite as much. There are some elements of western swing (as opposed to New Jack swing), and there are some really nice effects. Bom is left here to sing on her own, and there are some breaks where she really shines. It's a catchy melody that'll have you nodding right along to it.

"Shameful" has a tropical beat to it, but it develops from the formless synth noises in the beginning. It doesn't take long for this banger to pick up though, delivering the bold vocals and pounding beat that I crave so much. At least they do a little more wia th tropical sound that was so prevalent in K-pop for awhile.

All in all, an interesting freshman outing. Bom shows she's able to actually handle herself vocally in a few different genres -- and to those familiar with her career there was never any doubt. I like the fact that she has a range and she shows it off here quite well. If this single is any indication, then she has a successful solo career ahead of her -- if her company treats her well.

MV REVIEW

Watch Park Bom and Sandara Park in the newest MV for "Spring!"

There's not really a narrative to this MV, but there is a concept. I see Bom as the Queen of Spring, since some of her teasers (and a small part of the video) depict her on a throne, surrounded by her retinue. Dara is here, too, further pushing the message of the song.

There are no smiles in this MV, as everything is full of gravitas and some melancholy. It's a little counter to the song, which is very much the description of Spring. The sun has been hiding for months, pushed away from the earth and hidden by clouds. But when the sun peeks out from inside its vaporous prison, it brings the promise of flowers and warmth.

Still, we do get Park Bom, clad in lace, doing her thing. It's a little different from some of her more playful antics in 2NE1, but still, the imagery plus her powerhouse voice really hammer some of the messages home. And we get to see Dara too. While it's not a surprise, it's still really nice to see these superstars reunited, even for a short time.

I like this. There's not a lot to it, per se. No flashy special effects, but the shots were pretty. And every bit as amazing as the teasers. They didn't really promise the moon, but the chance to see these two ladies again, after a couple of years gone, was worth the wait.

Score

MV Relevance...........9

MV Production..........9

MV Concept...............8

MV SCORE: 8.6

Album Production.....8

Album Concept..........8

Tracklisting................8

ALBUM SCORE: 8.0

OVERALL................8.3