Girl’s Day made their highly-anticipated return with their second full-length album, Love. Since “Something,” Girl’s Day have been rightfully earning attention from the K-Pop world, so there’s a lot of interest in Love.
For fans that enjoy Girl’s Day’s music over the past two years, you may enjoy the album, but it may sound a little too familiar. For those looking for something new from the group, there are a handful of songs to keep you occupied. Overall, some fans may find themselves a little disappointed in what Love has to offer.
“With Me” opens the album. The music has a disco sound which Girl’s Day matches well. The song has some unique elements to it because it goes from a disco beat to incorporating some tango. You can hear Minah loud and clear on the track, too, but overall vocals sound really good. Yura’s parts are strong and husky adding some strength to the track. Toward the end, something feels a little messy with the tempo change, like Girl’s Day are singing a bit outside their vocal range. However, “With Me” is the perfect way to get started.
The promoted track is “Ring My Bell.” The use of harmonicas in the track is definitely interesting and something that isn’t heard often in K-Pop tracks. The song is upbeat and easy to enjoy as it has many strengths from the memorable verses, impressive hook, and catchy chorus. The “I feel you breathe” portions provide a nice break in the song prior to Yura’s rap. The vocals really show how Girl’s Day have grown since debut since the girls are way more expressive than before. This has the potential to be a hit.
“마카롱” is one of the most interesting songs on Love. The Big Band/ Scat sound makes for a standout song. It’s easy to imagine them in 1940s fashion performing this song on stage. The song is all at once refreshing and retro. Girl’s Day did a great job making something old-sounding new again. The song does feel like it loses some steam at the end, but it’s energetic and fun.
The fourth track is “Come Slowly.” “Come Slowly” is a ballad track that highlights Girl’s Day’s soft and subtly powerful vocals. Sojin, Hyeri, and Minah sound amazing and dreamy, helping to express the group’s maturity. The girls utilize different keys well to create a beautiful song that sounds romantic and sweet. Fans of 1990s US ballads and R&B songs may enjoy “Come Slowly” because it is reminiscent of that era.
“Top Girl” brings back the dance mood. Some lines feel rushed and awkward; at the same time, the composition feels somewhat messy. There’s just something that feels off about “Top Girl.” It took a few listens to actually get behind the song to where there’s a sense that it’s an okay listen. The song isn’t bad, but it’s not the best. There’s just something inherently amiss about “Top Girl” that just makes it not as exceptional as it should have been.
“Top Girl” is gladly overlooked because one of my all-time favorite Girl’s Day tracks, “Darling,” is included on Love. “Darling” is just an essential summer song that feels like sunshine, ice cream, and tasty fudge from a Main Street candy shop or a 1950s soda shop. “Darling” is the song you pull out to listen to on a really bad day just to feel chipper once again. “Darling” is just joy embodied in a song, and that can’t be messed with at all.
“휘파람” is another upbeat track with strong and impressive instrumentals. The song is one of Girl’s Day’s edgier tracks, so it’s impressive for that alone. While it still has their signature feminine sound, there is something extra that makes it stand out. The girls switch well between higher and lower notes well, creating an interesting dynamic. Some may listen to the track and hear the whistling in the background. At times, the whistling feels like it’s from Brown Eyed Girls’ “Kill Bill.” There is something familiar about the track, so this might be it.
The eighth track, “Look at Me,” was featured on Everyday III. The song is a lovely ballad with a waltz beat. The song embodies growing up and maturing, especially in love. The message of the song is clear since they want potential love interests to see them as ladies instead of children. There is a delicate beauty in “Look at Me” that does show Girl’s Day beauty. It was a good song on Everyday III, and it’s still a good song on Love.
Also making an appearance on Love is Girl’s Day’s 2014 hit song “Something.” It seems fitting to have “Something” on the album since it is the one that further propelled them into the spotlight in 2014; in 2015, it’s surrounded by songs on an even stronger album. Adding the track onto Love feels like a “thank you” to fans for showing their support and they will look to the past to remember how they got to such a high point in their careers.
“Timing” is the tenth song and originally appeared on their Summer Party album. The song was one of our favorites last year, and this holds true on Love. The bouncy beat accentuates Girl’s Day and helps to embody their cheerful personas. The song is a nice “crush song” as the girls sing about a man who needs to stop pussy-footing around asking for a date. “Timing” is cute and straightforward and still enjoyable in 2015.
“I Miss You” is also a track from 2014. Girl’s Day ballads are special because they show their range. “I Miss You” has nice melodies and harmonies, so this is something fans don’t have to worry about with them. “I Miss You” is a pretty song, but it can easily be overshadowed by other tracks.
Another track from Everyday III appears with “Show You.” The song works well for the girls to show their vocal abilities, although the higher notes feel strained at times. What’s nice about “Show You” is how vocals and instrumentals blend well since one doesn’t overpower the other. The song as a whole is just pretty and not very memorable because it’s too soft at times, but it’s still nice.
Finally, “Hello Bubble,” a project song from earlier in 2015, wraps up the album. “Hello Bubble” opens interestingly to make the song sound like it’s going to be edgy and a different sound than what we’re used to from Girl’s Day. Unfortunately, the song shifts into a comfortable pop song, so this was a letdown to some degree. “Hello Bubble” is cute and enjoyable and allows Girl’s Day’s cuteness to shine. It is a nice way to close the album.
Many fans probably expected a lot of new songs from Girl’s Day, but there were only a handful of new ones. Older tracks tend to dominate the album, which would make fans of their older songs happy. Overall, expectations were high, so there is a bit of a letdown with Love. Love earns a 3/5.
–Joelle Halon