SOLID 7.
I think the only correct word to use to describe this album is noisy. Noeasy is a messy, noisy, and a rollercoaster that continues to hook me in but also make me fall asleep. Its loud instrumentals at times create stale moments that linger for way too long. Noeasy is an album that was released in 2021 by Kpop Group Stray Kids (as requested by Cyanne).
CHEESE
Ok ok, CHEESE’S opening is actually pretty cool. Its nice guitar hook at the start keeps the song high in energy and the clapping beats are honestly a really good touch. Each verse fits each member very well with Lee Know’s pre-chorus really shining through. Unfortunately this buildup to the chorus is a waste as the chorus is quite lackluster. Its rapping is cool I guess but its so empty before picking up momentum. And plus screaming “yeah” over and over again isn’t really something creative. Not to say that’s a problem its just quite mundane for something I thought would blow me away. The main attraction to this song is probably the instrumentals, cooked up by 3RACHA, so im quite pleased with how it came out. The strongest parts of the song is probably the start to be honest. From Hyunjin’s rap to Changbin’s rap, I was really hooked in so good job. CHEESE is a strong 7 and a nice start to NOEASY.
Thunderous
Thunderous. This ones a bit iffy. Lets all be honest for a second and admit its trying to be God’s Menu. To its almost identical song structure, Thunderous tries to hold onto what God’s menu did so well and unfortunately becomes a stale imitation of its counterpart. Thunderous’ chorus is quite addictive and the song contains a lot of energy. Its outro is particularly impressive as it keeps a level of sound and volume and maximized the empty space very well. I mean theres barely anytime to breath besides the pre-chorus and Han’s rap in the second verse. Thunderous again tries to be God’s Menu and in return kinda loses its identity of being something different. Of course this isn’t really a problem because the song is good anyways, I just expected something different for a title track. Thunderous is a strong 7.
DOMINO
DOMINO. Now Stray Kids is really cooking. The intro rap with Changbin is immaculate. Changbin and autotune go hand in hand when it comes to the intro, the autotune enhances and brings out the vocal stings his rapping produces but also allows him to maintain a speed that both digestible and satisfying. Lee Know’s small rap is also really nice, his voice provides an experience that allowed me to slowly ease into the rest of the song. As usual the pre-chorus is split between the two vocalists and it’s nice. Their reliance on autotune is kind of ironic when theyre supposed to be the vocals of the group but if it works, it works. Hyunjin’s rap before the outro was also very nice, showing off his talent as a rapper but also allowed room for the instrumentals to pop off. Again, I’m out of my kpop phase so in return this song receives a moderate 8.
SSICK. Makes me sick. The beats are fire but the volume, presence, and silence in the song is a problem. Theres so many loud noises it sounds like theyre trying to compensate for something. This used to be my favourite song on the album when I was in year 8. Its final review ends with a moderate 7.
The View
I have a big problem with The View. Its incredibly poor placement in the album is honestly just hilarious because after listening to hard hitting instrumentals I’m somehow teleported to the fucking beach. Not to say the beach is bad, I just don’t want to start sipping pina coladas after hearing someone scream different types of cheeses at me. The View is an honest vibe though, its instrumental arrangement is colorful, groovy, and really drives home the idea of tropical fun. Each member brings life to the track and its very enjoyable to listen to. If it had better placement in the album I’d rate it much higher but its still a nice round 7.
I’m gonna skip the next few songs because they are snoozefests. Every song is mid as fuck, over compensated and feels so out of wack. The album’s structure is a mess, jumping from different vibe to different vibe it’s a tad bit irritating. I like its big boom boom noises and its vocals are solid. I specifically like red lights a lot because the instrumentals are so good. Its moan-type singing is a little cringe but it’s still nice to listen to. Red Lights is a solid 8.
Noeasy is an album that dives into the concept of big noises and brash instrumentals. Its ironic because it still sounds tame compared to the noises of Yeezus or even Igor. At times the loud noises feel like theyre trying to compensate for a lack of diversity or just being loud for the sake of being loud, you just need a purpose to do so. Vocals and rapping is incredibly strong and each member gets a chance to shine in this album. Noeasy has a solid 7.
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