Album Review: Nam Woohyun’s Write..

Release Date : May 9, 2016

Tracklist :
1. Write..
2. 끄 덕끄 덕 (Still I Remember)
3.그 사 람 (Passerby)
4.향 기 (Nostalgia)
5.‎Gravity
6. Stand By Me

Total Runtime: 00 : 21: 10

Recommended for: Woohyun stans and those who appreciate ballads.

NOT recommended for: Those who may find slow and mellow tracks to be boring.

Nam Woohyun wows Inspirits with his wonderful solo debut album, Write..

Infinite’s main vocalist released an album full of emotional ballads – his bread and butter.

The long-awaited Write.. features six tracks, three of them are self or co-composed by Woohyun himself.

Review

Track 1 – Write..

“Write..” makes a delicate start to the album with a soft piano. Brass instruments enter through a crescendo. Woohyun’s breathy falsetto finishes the intro track, leaving listeners in dreamland.

Track 2/Title track -끄 덕끄 덕 (Still I Remember)

This title track suits Woohyun’s taste for ballads. The beginning features a calm tune and falsetto. Woohyun adopts a bittersweet tone in a comfortable first verse. His delivery becomes more emotional in the chorus, as he does several transitions from his chest register into falsetto. The dynamics are really nice too. In the highlight bridge, he belts out a few high notes, which could have been better. “Still I Remember” finishes with the final chorus.

Track 3 -그 사 람 (Passerby)

A gloomy melody begins “Passerby.” Woohyun floats through some easy chest notes in the first verse. The sense of loneliness becomes desperate in the lead up to the chorus. He sustains a few powerful belts to express his deep emotions. The second verse features breathier vocals than the first. “Passerby” is taken up a few notches in intensity as he belts continuous high notes in the bridge. His voice becomes fragile for a slight moment before blasting out again with both strain and resonance. The song ends on a soulless note.

Track 4 – 향 기 (Nostalgia)

This self-composed track pulls on the heartstrings and taps into old memories. Woohyun’s relaxing vocals are matched with a simple piano. The verse gradually brings out the nostalgic theme, as there is a small part, which sounds slightly similar to his first solo song “Timeless.” In the chorus, his vocals are soft and sincere. At the end of the second verse, he resonates a low belt. He continues to increase the belting in the second chorus. The song hits its peak in the bridge, which is highlighted by a long high note. He sings his heart out to tearfully end his “Nostalgia.”

Track 5 – Gravity

“Gravity” is another co-composed track. It is hard-hitting from the get go with dramatic singular notes being played on a piano. Woohyun adopts a lighter approach to his vocals in the first verse. After softly sustaining a low-mid belt, drums enter the chorus and he changes the tempo to a rock ballad. The second verse sounds more alternative and edgy with a quicker tempo. Following the second chorus, he sustains a few high notes and a quick transition into falsetto in the bridge. He adds in a few pretty adlibs in the last chorus. “Gravity” wraps up with him whispering ‘You’ repeatedly along to the drowning sound of the piano.

Track 6 – Stand By Me

The final track of Write… is a heartfelt number. Yet again, a simple piano tune is played in the beginning. Woohyun sings in his lower register throughout the first verse, which matches the sad mood to the song. The chorus is pleasantly delivered in both vocals and instrumentals. He continues to use breathier vocals in the second verse except one brief belt before the second chorus. He pours out his emotions in the bridge, executing a nice vocal run that ends on a resonant high note. He ends his debut album with one last cry to stand by him.

Woohyun has waited a long time before finally releasing Write… In previous solo singles, Woohyun predominately opted to compose ballads with the exception of “Everyday”; the hidden track in this album. It is a path where his vocals shine the most. Overall, there is not much fault in Write.. All six tracks were easy on the ears and not overbearing in any way. They did the basics well, as Woohyun’s emotional vocal tone complimented beautifully the piano instrumentals. One standout track that needs applause is “Gravity” for its originality and intensity compared to the other pretty ballads on the album.

Replayability– GREEN
Will replay this album anytime, anywhere
Cohesiveness– GREEN
Album flowed well like a smooth, late-night drive without any traffic
Originality– GREEN
While maintaining the more traditional progressions for ballads, Woohyun succeeded in showing his own style