BTS continue their Love Yourself series with the new album Tear. Is it going to make me hyper like Her did? Let's have a look.
Intro: Singularity Bless my ears, an intro song that is not less than a minute long. ARMYS have already been served a smooth track and stunning visuals from Taehyung's MV to serve as a comeback trailer. Singularity is a reflective track and even I ask myself some of the same questions used in the lyrics. At this point I have no idea what to expect from the rest of the album.
Fake Love: I thought the MV for Singularity was enough to attack with visuals but I didn't think the MV for Fake Love to do the same until I started watching. Aside from everyone looking very cool with the various attire and intense expressions, the actual song definitely hits the emo Bangtan direction. Truthfully I actually enjoy it when they go with the angst. Say what you will about how 'fake deep' they get and that you would rather they have more jolly tunes, but I am often satisfied when a song's lyrics strike a chord and makes me resonate on a personal level. Fake Love is a grower track indeed and the title is self-explanatory where one talks about pretending to be strong for the sake of love and pretending to be happy when they are the opposite inside.
Untold Truth/The Truth Untold (featuring Steve Aoki): A piano rock ballad by Vocal Line and the chills throughout the song are really something as I listen further along. There's focus on loneliness in a secret place but nobody else can see it. I never thought Steve Aoki could slow it down as I'm used to him just throwing much more upbeat songs so wow consider me surprised and emotional. Going by what ARMYS have said, this song is based on a story of Smeraldo (and then there is the detective work that the fans have been good at by working out how selcas on Bangtan's SNS have hinted on the upcoming comebacks. I can barely keep up!)
134340 (Pluto): Wow a groovy track that would work in a jazz cafe. It's about how a star meets a light - yes we're talking about the galaxy and the planets. The title song does include Pluto after all but the song could also refer to Pluto itself, even as a symbolic approach to describing fate/forgotten love.
Paradise: This was written by Lophile and British producer/composer/singer MNEK . I love how the opening tune makes you feel like you're on clouds. It's such a nice feeling with the harp instrumental. The idea of paradise here is not necessarily having a proper dream but it's perfectly ok to just stand for a bit without a purpose (wait, this sounds like me!). Side note - MNEK's debut song Tongue is really something to check out if his style floats your boat (link to MV)
Love Maze: A sweet song about a relationship working its way through a maze. Very touching.
Magic Shop: The Magic Shop is like the go to place when you need to disappear, get away from your worries and feel comfort in our own galaxy. It's Jungkook's song for the fans. Thanks Golden Maknae.
Airplane pt2: When this song started playing, I suddenly thought Latin pop beats. Does this follow on from J-Hope's Airplane? Part 2 is all about travelling across the world, being above the clouds and it's almost like the diss track/cypher/Mic Drop of this album with Yoongi talking about how he's sick of hearing others brag about their money on TV.
Anpanman: Never thought I'd see a song about a popular Animanga hero on a Bangtan album. As well as a little tribute to the character, I sense the guys are thinking of themselves as said superhero and not of the conventional hero type like Batman. They stil want to be our hero no matter what. How nice! This is going to be wild at concert and I'm picturing the guys dressing up as Anpanman on their upcoming world tour.
So What: Club time with Bangtan but the lyrics are all about just going forward and not stopping, giving no care on who is right or wrong. It's okay we're young, wild and free
Outro: Tear Rapper Line end the album with this 4 minute outro and they just go full blast in their anger and heartache. The minute the piano starts and Namjoon says his first line - bang, there goes my heart. The tear represents a breaking up or the parting of ways between people. I appreciate the symbolism in this song with regards to the tears and its effect. Parting is, to me, a tear that blooms unknowingly in my eyes very true words.
Overall
This is just a mind-blowing follow-up to Her and I am completely embracing the angst and powerful emotions in this album. Starting with a smooth intro and then finishing with a ferocious outro. Wow. Rapper Line deliver. Vocal Line blow my mind and get equal justification in all the songs. It's not just Jungkook, Jimin and Taehyung delivering the goods with their golden vocals. Seokjin is provided more lines in the songs and that is progress. The line distribution for Vocal Line is much more spread out than what I've heard previously and that's good to see. No idea how the next Love Yourself chapter will be laid out but for now, I'm soaking in the more sorrowful, angrier chapter of this album.
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