(featuring some unnecessary random commentaries that no one asked for)
Disclaimers: I don't write reviews. I am not a professional writer, and neither I possess knowledge of music theory. This is not an academic report. I am merely and barely just a fangirl, no more no less so everything is just my impression on music, not related to some sort of hypothetical argument shit. However, I am criticizing you for not appreciating Verse 2 enough.
It took me almost 2 years to finally open up and speak out on this album. I have to admit that the more I like something, especially when I get too attached to it, I grew too much on it and it might be exceeding to the point that it has become my daily life necessity (I’m kidding, it’s an exaggeration for “favorite” okay?) the more intimidating I feel to talk about it, to put my thoughts for it, to comment on it because I don't think I have understood it thoroughly enough so that I don't deserve it. Yet my fingers cannot stay put but keep crashing on the keyboard so I got to do what they want i.e. to stretch up, crack some knuckles and sit down then write the shit out of my mind and my heart all for the sake of my eternal craving for Verse 2 even though I’m going to be really sentimental here and who is everybody to judge. One more thing I want to add up: I suppose English translation cannot fully cover up the meaning from the original Korean lyrics but then again, me being such a loser on languages leaves no choice. To fully appreciate this masterpiece I had to emerge myself into the album until my glasses prescription has increased for reading the translation too many times and my ears has bled for listening to the music too loud so I suggest you should do that too. It did not land the 25th position on the Billboard list for Best K-pop Album of the Decade for nothing okay. VERSE 2 DESERVES MORE THAN JUST THIS MERE RECOGNITION!
Overall, Verse 2 has a very unique westernized style and I mean it good. I know it’s an album, it’s music but I also feel that at some points, JJ Project is telling a story on two different aspects. Somehow and strangely enough, all of the song are cohesive to one another in a thematical way even if they are put track by track or not. Take the titles for examples. One can definitely say outright that Track 6 is Track 1 some sort of sequel on hope and persistence for love because their lyrics correspond each other very well regardless their order on the track-list, even the titles have clarified themselves: “Coming Home” to “Find You.” Same thing can apply to “Don’t Wanna Know” and “The Day” having one song apart but still manage to signify pain, mistrust and regret. The last to come, "Tomorrow, Today”, “On & On” and “Icarus” which are successively in order from Track 2 to Track 4 to form a trilogy as to narrate the journey of youth. However, ending the album with something so enraging like Track 8 seems out of places but turns out to be effective in capturing the sentiment of the audience. In other words, the last song is the principal element and thus Verse 2 has become such a versatile album as the way it is. I love the way JJ Project played with genres in this album: Verse 2 are dominantly R&B – based with a little bit of alternative inspired, soft pop and electro somewhere in-between. It maintains the consistency but still spices things up when needed. The instrumental arrangements interleaved harmoniously with JB and Jinyoung’s lush vocal have brought on a perfect combination of the two extremes of puffy and bassy of sound. Altogether has been packed up in just 29 minutes 14 seconds and I have already seen heaven from above. Verse 2 is too good to be true, however; I don’t see the reason why it stays under the radar all this time. And although I would say I don’t care about numbers, I don’t need validation from how well it did on claiming position on those superficial music charts, but I’m going to repeat myself that VERSE 2, BY THE ARTISTRY OF ITSELF, DESERVES MORE THAN JUST THIS MERE RECOGNITION!
Digging into individual units, I’m putting on the sign spoiler alert because they [JJ Project] tend to be very very very corny but I’m not even complaining here:
- Listening to “Coming Home” to “Find you” is like having a bite of your favorite homemade cookies with melting chocolate inside. It’s warm and wholesome. The bass guitar finger pricking at the intro of “Coming Home” is really soothing and satisfying. Also they have done a pretty good job on the pacing which created a perfect pitch for both songs. This duo represents an incarnation of a long lost soul, very whimsical and surreal with the opposition between dreams and reality, desperation and anticipation. Despite of a slight hint of despair, it’s a song for hope and tolerance for lovers on the go to find their happiness. LOL IF THIS SONG DOES NOT SCREAM THE CONCEPT THE HOUSE ON LAKE PHOTOBOOK I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE DOES!
- The holy trio “Tomorrow Goes On and I’m Going to be Icarus” captures perfectly the indeterminacy of youth. “Tomorrow, Today” has embodied the spirit of the teenage boy Holden Caulfield (who is the main character in “Catcher in the Rye”, one of the books appeared in the music video by the way) It describes the uncertainty in oneself standing at the threshold of the future, don’t know which way to go, how to deal with themselves though at least everything is still bright and shines. But just one skipped beat, jumping into the next song, “On & On” is pretty depressing but at the same time it’s quite encouraging as well. At the first listen I was confused because the lyrics low – key contradicts itself but I think it’s done on purpose. The song says something like depressing but don’t be afraid of your disparity, depressing but stay ruthless, stand by yourself. Once you get on your way, nothing can come between and even when things are way too shiny up there blurring out your path, “put your glasses on” and carry on. The journey ends up with “Icarus” as a motivation letter and a declaration to pursuit after what they desire and aspired to be. Keep your head up and fly high like how glory Icarus used to be above on the nine skies reaching to the red sun. YOU’D BETTER PLAYED THIS TRIO ON YOUR GRADS DAY ‘CAUSE I DID AND I CRIED LIKE A FUCKING BABY THEY ARE TOO RELATABLE, TOO PERSONAL I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF EITHER.
- In his solo track, JB has painted a portrait of himself who is enduring a dysfunctional relationship. The song depicts a the perpetual agony of him suffering from escaping the state of being sulking over love. Such bitter sorrow has "Fade Away" comprised but it was utterly disguised in mellow, chilled beats nevertheless. The guitar riff almost tricked me into thinking this is some kinds of refreshing music people tend to go for when sipping a cup of tea while watching a magnificent sunrise but don't be fooled like I was; the track is such a hard-to-swallow pill. But as I have mentioned before, this final track plays a crucial part in ending the album, a factor that made Verse 2 worth listening again. No words can describe my admiration for the one behind all of this madness and vulnerability, the one and only mastermind of R&B Lim Jae-beom.
- Whereas JB desperately wished to cease to be visible from love, Jinyoung still managed to express himself in an usual, elegant way. "The Day" is quite a special track because not only the lyrics is parallel to "Don't Wanna Know" as an individual unit but it also poses as a premise of JB's "Fade Away". Jinyoung's solo song is like the calm before the hurricane hit the mainland, which means him literally telling me to enjoy while as I can before that potato tornado JB ripped my soul off (somebody really should put a picture of JB's head on a hurricane then insert it here, to make my lecture less boring) Jinyoung's reputation for being certified "sad king" writing songs has been triple qualified in Verse 2. "The Day" is the most genuine track in the entire album with Jinyoung continued embracing his nostalgia and regrets under the delicate jazzy vibe. It's the music that should be on everyone's bedtime playlist. "Don't Wanna Know" can be considered as "The Day"'s prequel for their mutual correspondence of mistrust and woe. The best thing about this track is the long-running vocal line and beat have rounded off my feelings and hooked me up throughout the song. Combine them as a unit, it's really aesthetically pleasing to the ears.
I'm not sure who else is gonna read my long-ass manifestation for this masterpiece but here I go again. Verse 2 is a surprise turn from JJ Project since Bounce, a plot twist that is not predictable, skillfully crafted by the two distinctive music personalities coming together at once. This doesn't just stop at commercial or industrial K-pop. Verse 2 is a classic of comtemporary R&B that should merit praise and applause from everyone.
pixelskylines
prguitarman
baratheonpilled
discoholicmusic
