Album Review: CNBLUE’s Blueming

Release Date : April 4, 2016

Tracklist :

1. You’re So Fine
2. The Seasons
3. Young Forever
4. Without You
5. Stay Sober

Total Runtime: 00 : 19: 49

Recommended for: Loyal BOICE’s or people who appreciate the pop-rock genre.

NOT recommended for: Hip-hop, rap or dance fans that hate love songs.

International stars CNBLUE make their annual comeback on the K-pop scene with the mini album, Blueming.

This album expresses CNBLUE’s matured views of romance as men who are in their blooming mid-twenties.

Blueming bolsters five divine tracks, which includes self-composed works from Yonghwa, Jonghyun and Jungshin.

Review

Track 1/Title Track – You’re So Fine

CNBLUE’s own music colour is very evident in this title track. It’s a cheeky, catchy track that is fresh like an apple. A brass and electric guitar instrumental sets the fun mood of the song from the start. Leader and main vocalist Yonghwa sings along to a medium-fast tempo before Jonghyun drops the beat and breezes through a few lines. The chorus is relatively upbeat, where Yonghwa sings a line before the other members form a harmony in falsetto. Yonghwa’s little “ooh’s” hit the sweet spot every time. In the second verse, Yonghwa raps about girls in skinny jeans and high heels. Jonghyun makes a nice cameo just before the second chorus. The bridge features a funky instrumental break and a series of ey’s and oh’s. Jonghyun does a vocal run to start the final chorus. Yonghwa wraps up the title track by repeating; “Oh baby love is you.”

Track 2: The Seasons

The Seasons begins with a simple, acoustic tune and claps in the background. It’s a good song to listen to on those warm and fuzzy days. Yonghwa and Jonghyun’s vocals sound mellower than the instrumental in the first verse. The tempo quickens in the chorus, but the vocal tone adopted by the boys is still quite sappy compared to the light-hearted tune of the song. After a repeat of the first verse, Yonghwa and Jonghyun sing the second chorus. In the bridge, the beat drops and it finally matches the longing that is felt from the vocals. Jonghyun delivers a couple of pleasant adlibs before the final chorus. Following Yonghwa’s lead, Jonghyun sweetly serenades his way to finish the song.

Track 3: Young Forever

In BOICE’s eyes, CNBLUE will always stay Young Forever. This track is a mid-tempo track that captures a heart-fluttering feeling. Young Forever kicks off with a refreshing instrumental and Yonghwa’s dreamy chest register. Yonghwa maintains a hopeful vibe in the chorus, as he tells us “We’ll stay young forever.” He uses his airy falsetto to conclude the chorus. Things run along smoothly while keeping the same, relaxed tempo. In the bridge, CNBLUE produces pretty harmonies to compliment Yonghwa’s vocals. This continues into the final chorus, where it intensifies the feels once more. The piano and guitar slowly phase out to wrap up the glorious track.

Track 4: Without You

Bassist Jungshin’s self-composed track is the only legitimate ballad on Blueming. A soft, melancholic piano tune accompanies Yonghwa’s emotional and fragile vocals. The way he sings about doing things “Without you,” is touching but there’s a sense of reluctance in his voice. Jonghyun follows and his normally gloomy tone couldn’t be more suitable to the ballad. In the chorus, the guitar and bass become more prominent as compared to the piano. Yonghwa’s vocals pull onto the heartstrings here. The second verse is just as fragile as the first. The bridge features a sentimental sounding instrumental break. Exploding into the final chorus, Yonghwa sustains a few belts as Jonghyun delivers the adlibs to finish the ballad.

 Track 5: Stay Sober

Stay Sober is the sole English track on the album. Yonghwa makes a desperate start with his rough vocals. He wants to go back to his baby when he’s sober. To end the verse, he belts out a mid-range note. The chorus is filled with more pleas to stay sober. Yonghwa’s downward runs are slow and they sound sexy. In the second verse, the electric guitar takes over and shines over the steady drum beat. But it’s in the bridge, where the electric guitar takes the song to bigger heights with an exhilarating solo. Yonghwa wraps up the song in the final chorus, where he keeps it simple with a few higher runs at the end.

CNBLUE never fails to deliver high quality music. Blueming is certainly no exception. Every track has its own individuality, so they are all distinct from each other. The album tells a journey, from the electrifying feeling of first meetings in You’re So Fine to the realisation that not getting drunk is the best policy in Stay Sober. This journey is well reflected in the compositions, instrumentals and vocals. Overall, there isn’t much to fault but perhaps The Seasons could’ve been more balanced because there was a slight clash in how the instrumentals and vocals were produced.

Replayability– GREEN

Will replay this album at anytime, anywhere.

Cohesiveness– GREEN

Album flowed well like a movie.

Originality– GREEN

CNBLUE stayed true to their own music direction, delivering tracks that differ from other counterparts.