[ALBUM & MV REVIEW] GOT7 - 'Breath of Love: Last Piece'

AKP STAFF

[This review reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of allkpop.]

Track List:

1. Breath

2. LAST PIECE

3. Born Ready

4. SPECIAL

5. WAVE

6. Waiting For You

7. Thank You, Sorry

8. 1+1

9. I Mean It

10. We Are Young

GOT7 has made a triumphant return since their first comeback of this year in April. Breath of Love: Last Piece is a whopping 10 song album that the group has released after a series of events that delayed this comeback. The veteran group has chosen to promote double titles this time around with "Breath" as the pre-release single and "LAST PIECE" as the follow-up single. "Breath" was written by Youngjae and is a mid-tempo track that's an absolute earworm. The song's focal point is the whistle and chanted "you make me breathe" in the chorus that really solidifies this song as some of GOT7's best work this year.

"LAST PIECE" is produced by Defsoul, otherwise known as the group's own leader: Jaebeom. The song is synth-heavy and has one of the most experimental GOT7 song progressions I've heard. BamBam's rap is a special point here, as he delivers his part with finesse and rhythm. The "You Know What!" lyric is so catchy that I found myself repeating the song without realizing it. The album then moves into Mark's song, "Born Ready," featuring a surprise intro from "rapper JB," who is typically a vocalist! I can see the group opening a concert with "Born Ready" as the song's EDM inspired future bass sound would resonate with a huge audience. Mark definitely has ahgase in mind on this song.

"SPECIAL" reminds me of GOT7 in their debut days. "SPECIAL" has a playful lilt that at first feels a little corny, but when Jackson's verse hits, the song becomes more grown-up than I had expected it to sound. Yugyeom's bridge into Jinyoung's chorus gives the song a mature R&B energy. The next track, "WAVE," is a song written and composed by Jinyoung. Much more down-tempo than the other songs that proceeded "WAVE," Jinyoung's track is emotional and a great showcase of the group's maturity and experience.

The album continues with BamBam's song, "Waiting For You." The song has heavy autotune use that's really characteristic of BamBam and his music taste. The song feels inspired by Western music and has an indescribable sound that's 100% true to BamBam.Track 7, "Thank You, Sorry," composed by Yugyeom, offers a slowed down vibe that's sexy and sultry. "Thank You, Sorry" has incredible falsetto performance from multiple members, and the song is so smooth and simple, yet so well-arranged. Typically I'm used to Yugyeom's SoundCloud trap songs, so this is an unexpected change of pace that I am not upset at. In fact, I would argue that "Thank You, Sorry" is my favorite creation on this album! Though Jinyoung, BamBam, and Yugyeom all have downtempo songs they have composed for the release, the difference is worlds apart, yet still incredibly definitive of each member.

"1+1" sits at the same table as the group's prior release, "Thursday," and offers a fun and bouncy pop song that's classic cute and charismatic GOT7. The song was one of my most anticipated, and it didn't disappoint. The album concludes on "I Mean It" and "We Are Young." "I Mean It" is a radio hit that will likely never receive the justice it deserves, which upsets me deeply. The song is written for airwaves and would absolutely thrive on the charts, but alas- it's only a b-side! The pop lilt and super fascinating vocal progression is well-crafted and fine-tuned delicately. "We Are Young" is a soft mid-tempo pop song that really evokes a lot of emotion without getting too serious or ballad-like. Yugyeom's sharp bridge into Jinyoung's smooth chorus is a great balance and simple conclusion to an album with a jaw-dropping amount of range.

Overall, the group's desire for innovation and improvement has kept them fresh and competitive. Their appreciation for their art is clear, and the effort is tied off with a bow with the release of Breath of Love: Last Piece.

MV REVIEW

Though GOT7 did release two titles this comeback, we'll be focusing on "LAST PIECE," the group's latest title track. The MV is mature and sexy and showcases the group giving their absolute all on choreography performance. The video for "Breath" and "LAST PIECE" utilized the same set, but the feelings evoked from both are worlds apart. "LAST PIECE" is explosive, impactful, and in-your-face in a perfectly refined way that's fine-tuned well and the MV follows suit. The song is new territory for the group, yet the performance was out-of-this-world for the MV. The editing is the focal point of this MV, as the smooth transitions between members is effortless. That being said, the group's choreography this comeback is absolutely no joke. The choreography of this comeback may be the hardest the group has ever done.

My biggest issue with this MV was the fact that I was panicked over Youngjae not getting as much screen time as the others. However, I realize this is somewhat purposeful. His absence did convey a missing "LAST PIECE" well, but I still wanted a few more shots of Youngjae and BamBam. Overall, the video is sleek and shows a developed and veteran GOT7 who are assuming their new roles as sunbaes in the industry.