GFRIEND - the discography rate ☾ #24

junglefish

junglefish

he/him
boombazookajoe said:
At least you used that and not like “tastelesswhore”
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That one was already taken!
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junglefish

junglefish

he/him
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And as we walk together
Hope grows on our path

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7.288

Buddies: 10x1 (@RUNAWAY) 9.5x1 (@Music Is Death) 9x3 (@eatyourself, @junglefish, @soratami)
Antis: 5x3 (@boombazookajoe, @nikkysan, @savilizabeths) 5.5x1 (@codecat) 6x3 (@ysev, @M24, @Attis)
Hosts:
@junglefish: 9
@savilizabeths: 5
5 voters: 88
10 voters: 88
15 voters: 85
20 voters: 82
26 voters: 88

Today, the last of our extras fall! 'Letter in My Pocket', released in 2016, is the theme song of Pokemon the Movie XY&Z. Out of the extras we chose to include in this rate, this one being the last one standing is... correct. While it doesn't reach the heights of the best Pokemon ending theme of all time, M2M's 'Don't Say You Love Me', it's a cute bop which I remember being obsessed with when I discovered it.

There's once again a clear J-Pop feel to 'Letter in My Pocket', which makes sense considering Pokemon is a Japanese franchise. The intro in particular is bringing back to the early '00s with its HΛL-lite production. The rest of the song is absolutely fine, but maybe needed a little more punch? I do really, really like that instrumental bridge with the guitar solo. Actually, you know what vibes 'Letter in My Pocket' gives? Encore song. Like, this would be the perfect Encore after a sold-out stadium concert or whatever. It has the right amount of cheese, it's earnest, the lyrics are sweet and it's not a very challenging song to sing. I can picture it: balloons, confettis, Yuju's sweaty forehead and a sea of lightsticks moving to the rhythm of the music.

Now, let's see if any of you share this fantasy with me:

@eatyourself (9) : This gives Apink's debut. Which means it bops hard.

@M24 (6) : Who is Pika Friend?? Anyway, I'm not sure I dig this. I like those synths when they come on, but that's only sparsely. And I'm not sure that chorus is good enough to carry the whole song on their shoulders. It could've done with an edit too ddd don't kill me. (

.@Runaway (10) : the most iconic Korean OST of all time. They collaborated with fucking PIKACHU!

@Wills (6.5) : Not bad, but does absolutely nothing to justify its runtime


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savilizabeths

savilizabeths

she/her
It's a new week, time for a new elimination.





Today we say goodbye.







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Please stars, help me. You are my sky.
I hope this isn't over.

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7.307

Buddies: 10x1 (@Music Is Death) 9.5x1 (@nikkysan) 9x2 (@RUNAWAY, @boombazookajoe) 8.75x1 (@eliminathan)
Antis: 2.5x1 (@Serg.) 5x1 (@eatyourself) 6x4 (@Attis, @thommyh, @Monado, @Cotton Park)
Hosts:
@junglefish: 8.5
@savilizabeths: 7.5
5 voters: 91
10 voters: 86
15 voters: 91
20 voters: 91
26 voters: 89

Today we lose our first song from one of my favourite GFriend albums, 'Time for the Moon Night'. The song in question is 'Bye', the emotional power ballad composed by No Joo-hwan, Kim Ye-il & Sophia Pae. Kim Ye-il has most notably been the recording engineer for several YOUHA songs (including her magnum opus, 'Abittipsy' and Sophia Pae has an extensive and impressive list of credits including LOONA's 'Favorite', PRISTIN's 'Wee Woo' and several TWICE b-sides.

'Bye' is really quite beautiful. The girls are emoting the hell out of it, making it feel like an gut-punch with every syllable. I must have a moment of appreciation for the way the softer, fragile verses launch into the powerful unision sung chorus! Every time I hear it my heart skips a beat. There's something so effective about it, a true highlight of the song. And god, Yuju! She knocks this one out of the park! Her voice on the second half of the chorus gives me actual chills. How the hell is she this talanted? Leave some for the rest of us, ma'am. SinB also has me tearing up when she's singing her part after the bridge, she sounds absolutely stunning!

Reading the lyrics is making me emotional as well. The song is about the desperation of feeling a love slipping away, seemingly a first love. Praying it isn't really over, even while knowing in your heart that it is and coming to terms with that. By the end of the song they manage to accept the fate of the relationship and find a way to look at it fondly and keep the memories with them. They can finally say goodbye. The storytelling and imagery is very strong here, and as I stated in the above paragraph, the girls convey it masterfully.

My other favourite aspect of this song is those electric guitars throughout, especially mixed with the strings! The production really amps things up a notch and make the song just that little bit more special. While it's not my favourite ballad in GFriend's discography, it's still insanely good. They (almost) never miss.

Over to you, commentary panel!

@eatyourself (5) : This smells like whiskey.

@M24 (6.5) : Lovely power ballad! That chorus hits you like a brick, I really like this. The middle-8 is also quite intense! I'd give it a higher score if it weren't for the fact I like a zillion other songs from them more. I guess I'm just a closeted balladphobe?

@Wills (8) : Takes a bit to get going, but that outro? Perfection. And hey, even the ballad’s good – TFTMN best album confirmed!

@Serg. (2.5) : Okay now I like ballads usually and I've rated couple of them really high, but this is super cheesy it's giving Eurovision entry for Montenegro, last in the semi.


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savilizabeths

savilizabeths

she/her
Wills said:
Speaking as a white Buddy, White or My Buddy can go.
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Ding ding ding!



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Like a childhood fairytale
Like an innocent dream, I will embrace you.

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7.355

Buddies: 10x1 (@eatyourself) 9x2 (@Music Is Death, @junglefish) 8.75x2 (@RUNAWAY, @vague) 8.5x1 (@codecat)
Antis: 5.5x2 (@Vixen, @Wills) 6x1 (@aux) 6.25x2 (@M24, @Cotton Park)
Hosts:
@junglefish: 9
@savilizabeths: 8.25
5 voters: 69
10 voters: 78
15 voters: 86
20 voters: 86
26 voters: 86

Another Iggy Youngbae composition is on the chopping block today. 'White' is the final track on GFriend's debut mini album, 'Season of Glass'. It really amazes me that the girls came out of the gate with such a defined and cohesive sound. Their musical identity was fully formed right from debut, yet they still managed to grow and develop over their career. Not every group has that.

I absolutely adore the chorus of 'White'. It's so bouncy! That's the best way I can describe it. The melody is ridiculously catchy, it's impossible for me not to bop my head along with it. Something about the song feels like a warm summer afternoon. I want to listen to it while walking through my neighbourhood with the sun shining down through the leaves and everything just feeling so calm and hopeful. Does that make sense to anyone else?

The early concept for GFriend was described as "powerful innocence" and I think this song is a perfect example of it, perhaps with an emphasis on the innocent part. The lyrics are very sweet. Lines like "I'll fill my white heart with pink love," and "My once cold heart will softly melt. Goodbye to the cold times," are just so lovely to me. My heart is melting too, aw!

The only thing I don't really love about this song is one vocal moment from my bias, Miss Eunha. It's her "I love you" part right before the last chorus. Something about the delivery just...doesn't sound good to these ears. I'm sorry! Also, I know Sowon gets very few lines but she feels even more absent here. Probably because she literally doesn't sing until like three quarters through the song and then only pops in to deliver one line then dip again. I'm sure none of you are that pressed, but I thought it was funny.

Overall, I just really think this could have lasted longer but what did you guys think? Apparently not much as we only got two comments. So sound off in the thread replies juseyo!

@eatyourself (10) : This is kinda visionary if I'm honest. The Korean peninsula hasn't been the same since they dropped this.

@M24 (6.25) : Adorable song! It's not as forgettable as I thought it was the first times I listened to the mini album. The chorus is a bit of a muted affair, that's ok for a debut album bside though. I wouldn't mind it if it went out in the first ten eliminations, but it doesn't deserve to be the very first or second to leave.


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