01. HEAVEN
02. TOUCH
03. SUPER POWER
04. TONIGHT
05. BYE BYE BYE
06. 우리
07. 오렌지
08. 아는 사이
09. 별
10. #CHOCOLAT
The longest lasting Kpop idol boyband in history, Shinhwa is still kicking it. These men don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon with solo albums from certain members and other project under their belts. I really want to hear an Eric solo but I respect his decision to not be in the spotlight without the others. Fingers are still crossed that this might happen in the future. Forever holding my breath it seems. As you guys can tell, I'm writing this post and sounding a little like the Kpop fan that I'm not.[INSERT ME LAUGHING.] Shinhwa is the only Kpop group that I would come out of retirement for and attend a concert. Unchanging is part two in a two part series of albums. Unchanging part one was released first with more of a christmas theme while unchanging part two contains the songs from the first part along five new songs.
The first five songs released prior are christmas themed like I stated already. You get that poppy jingle bell sound on top of Shinhwa's salty vocals. I'm really surprised that they can pull off the lively upbeat pop numbers still when they are clearly getting older. I have noticed that their lyrics while being about the opposite sex and love toward them, The lyrics feel more less toward GIRLS and more towards WOMEN. Its hard to explain but the way their lyrics are written defiantly signifies the men in Shinhwa's ages and the age range of the people listening to their music in Korea. It would be really strange if they sang those songs like a lot of the young kpop boybands where they do certain actions to get the girls attention but don't actually take action to talk to her. Meanwhile Shinhwa are grown ass men and just approach the girl without wasting anytime. There's still tracks that appeal to all age groups like Orange and We respectively. We is like a party on christmas night where your eating cookies and wonder why your drunk only to find out someone mixed soju in the cookie badder. Very fun with a catchy chorus but strangely too happy. Oraange is a track pulled straight out of the old Shinhwa song book which is why I loved this song instantly. Most long time fans will like this track because its the Shinhwa we are use too but doesn't sound recycled. Heaven is a new spin sound for Shinhwa and I was very happy to hear such a strong song coming out of them but this is Shinhwa. They don't know how to make boring music not even when it comes to ballads... most of the time. Lets have me take a breath and release it before I type what I want to say next. TOUCH WAS THE WORSE TITLE SONG I HAVE HEARD FROM SHINHWA... MAYBE EVER. Staying youthful and current is important but not when it messes up your artistry. What is that messed up dub step beat that was a substitute for a chorus? It sounded a mess and I would have rather heard a solid chorus. Then whoever produced this tried to carry that beat over from the chorus and have it overriding Eric's rap part? WHY THOUGH??? I have no words for who produced TOUCH and I'm disappointed Shinhwa and their record company gave the ok to release this as their title track. A slap from me is in order for real..... Super Power should have been the title track and it wasn't. This song is the jam from start to finish and it sure to get every listener moving like the energizer bunny. All the chops were pulled out in this song from the Hip hop/RnB beat to the vocals being organized and coming in all at the right times. The rap parts even up their energy level to keep up with that tight beat. A part where its just the beats in this song too but its used the right to support that beginning part of the chorus. Nothing in-depth need to be said for the other two tracks. Tonight is a good track to keep the energy from Super Power going. Got to love their vocals together.
Shin Hye Seung is like that loud person in a vocal group who always sings higher than everyone else. The man will always be the first and the last to belt notes in Shinhwa's songs. I want to give him a pat on the back because he was sang at full power for this whole album. Minwoo sometimes comes off as being the leader but then I heard that Eric was the leader. Dongwan is easy to forget about vocal wise and Andy.... raps really flat.... sometimes he's alright but flat most of the time for this album. I'm just noticing this now and I mean no harm to him but this is constructive criticism. When I was young, I didn't pay much attention but now that i'm older, I have standards when it comes to rap. He raps like he wants to come off as cool but Rap isn't about having the most swag. You have to be you and give people the IMPRESSION that you have swag. Its not something you can control. Outsider opinion controls that. Eric on the other hand does him and leaves it at that. He has a kind of confidence about his rapping. His rapping isn't the best out there but he delivers with what he has genuinely. The openings of him talking in english really add a flavor to their music thats unique to only Shinhwa. Minwoo is a great RnB singer that does good singing with Hye Seung's power vocals. I always enjoyed seeing and hearing solos from these guys because you get to see each of their talents alone. Dongwan makes some great solo songs too that show his vocal talent that's overshadowed in Shinhwa.
Unchanging is worth a few listens with maybe two songs that could be booted of the tracklist. I hope fans who bought this album didn't go out and buy part one. If you did then you wasted your money. I don't blame you but I do blame Shinhwa's record label for tricking fans like that. Unchanging part two is basically a repackaged album. All the songs from part one are on this album along with five new songs. You couldn't give me ten new songs? I was under the impression that unchanging part one was for a Christmas theme but I guess not..... Good thing I didn't jump and buy Part one because I would have been pissed to high heaven. This is one reason of many others for why I stopped supporting Kpop full time. Companies try to trick you out of your money and fans blindly fall for that crap. I'm not rebuying an album for one or two new songs when I bought the first version. Shinhwa and their company should be ashamed of themselves for releasing a two part album and then recycling the songs from part one and putting them on the second album with five new songs. If you didn't want to make another five songs then just call the thing a mini album and call it a damn day. Fans look for new music from you guys when you announce you're releasing a two part album so I expect an album with ten new songs. I'm very disappointed in Kpop in general because this is still going on years after I left. Kpop needs to get it together. People will start to wake up sooner or later and stop supporting artists. Korean albums are not cheap for foreign fans to get their hands on. Especially if you live outside Korea. Sorry my ending thoughts are so long but I had to get this off my chest. In no way am I bashing Shinhwa. I said all of this as a fan who supported them for years and still does now. Tough love was served today so take it or leave it.
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