BOL4 – 'PUBERTY BOOK II PUM'

Track List:

1. Blank

2. Hug *Title

3. Leo (feat. Baekhyun) *Title

4. Counseling

5. Dandelion

It's been 8 months since their last comeback. Or perhaps I should say her last comeback. Yes, BOL4 is now a solo act, as Woo Ji Yoon left last month. So Ahn Ji Young soldiers on alone. As usual, she composed and wrote all five songs on BOL4's newest EP, 'Puberty Book II Pum.'

"Blank" sounds like a tropical house beat at first, but it's got other things going on, as well. You just can't beat Ji Yoon's electric guitar or her harmonies with Ji Young. They started out strong with this one. The title track is "Hug." And a worthy title track it is, with a really catchy beat and a cute refrain. It's bouncy and folksy with that pop vibe that keeps you coming back for more. I can listen to this one all day. "Leo" is a previously released single, featuring Baekhyun of EXO fame. This song is kinda jazzy with piano flourishes before they launch into the main song. It's a little more R&B than we're used to, but Ji Young and Baekhyun make a good duo.

On "Counseling," we hear Ji Young talking to someone, presumably her therapist. This one's a little quieter and slower, which is probably appropriate if you're being a little more reflective. I like this one -- the piano, the guitar, and the harmonies are particularly soothing. The final song of the EP is "Dandelion," and it's a ballad. It starts out quiet and mellow, but then it picks up steam, and an orchestra is added. One of the things I really like about this song is that the harmonies drown out the music, not the other way around. It makes a song like this really effective.

So what we have here is probably the end of an era. Both girls were involved in creating the music on this album, and we won't have that anymore. I won't go into the rumors surrounding Ji Yoon's departure, but I have to imagine the loss would be keenly felt. This album is quintessential BOL4, and now I'm really curious about what the future holds.

MV REVIEW -- HUG

This is a cute music video about how your organs and hormones go nuts when you get a text from your crush.

At least that seems to be what's happening. Meanwhile, we get representations of this throughout the rest of the video. From liquids boiling over in the hormone department to shoveling more coal into the organic furnace, they give us a humorous look inside the human body.

It's all colorful and cute. There's not a dull moment in this video. And that's definitely a goal to shoot for. Ji Young's exaggerated gestures and facial expressions are an absolute treat.

The only thing I could really ask for is more interaction. It was missing from this particular video. It was just Ji Young all by her lonesome. And while she's a fine actress, I kept longing for the early days, when Ji Yoon was right by her side.

Still, this video had nearly everything you might want from a BOL4 MV. And really, isn't that enough?

MV REVIEW -- LEO

Sadly (for some of you), Baekhyun does not actually appear in the video.

It does, however, feature Ji Young. In the video, she is finding strands of what looks like wool or yarn. and she's gathering them in the balls or winding them around other objects. Eventually, she gets frustrated and throws a ball of yarn under the ground. So could she be said to be woolgathering?

However, it looks like she's frustrated because she's lonely. As she looks at a clock and it turns to 7 (in the morning, I assume), something happens that causes her to grin from ear-to-ear.

She appears to have a cassette tape popped in, and she's listening to Baekhyun. For quite a few of you, that would be reason enough to smile. She eventually makes it outside after following a butterfly. It's a gorgeous sunny day, which just makes this video even better.

BOL4 MVs are always fun to watch. This one too. I've already told you what I like about it, which is everything.

Score

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

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

MV Concept..............9

MV SCORE: 9.0

Album Production.....9

Album Concept.........9

Tracklisting...............9

ALBUM SCORE:9.0

OVERALL................9.0