It feels like it’s been forever since some new singles have cropped up. Or likely I’ve been too wrapped up in K-Pop to spend to much time on anything but the full albums. But here we are! I can’t say that these are brand spanking new at this point, but they’re still pretty fresh.
Katseye
“Gnarly” – I don’t even really know how Youtube got this in front of me, but after two listens, I wasn’t mad about it. Girl groups are not really my thing, but that’s not to say I can’t appreciate a song here and there. What was interesting to learn about Katseye is that they are a fairly newly formed group from a reality show. But rather than just being strictly K-pop, it’s members hail from all over the world, making them a “global” girl group. I imagine that will definitely help make them more accessable to the masses if they manage to make a true “bop,” as the kids say. This song is likely not going to be that. In fact, most of the internet, or at least what I’ve come across, found this song and accompanying music video to be both an assault on the eyes and the ears. From a visual perspective, it does live up to the name, which for me means it comes with some more negative connotations, but this certainly wasn’t the most outlandish thing I’ve ever seen. The song itself is loud and almost like nails to a chalkboard, but with an insanly cathcy chorus, I was hooked pretty instantly. I appreciate that they also aren’t trying to play it safe and appeal to a younger audience, though I do have to question the powers that be that invited the group to perform this particular song at the Kids Choice Awards…anyway, can’t say I love this song, but I do like it.
White Reaper
“Honestly” – From my perspective, I honestly thought White Reaper was going to be dead in the water after the twins left the band last year. Given that Nick was a co-founder, and Hunter is still in LA (I think), I just wasn’t confident that there was a future for the band. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so glad to be so wrong! Not only were we given a new song, but we also got a music video to go along with it and the promise of a new record, Only Slightly Empty, in late September! And just today we got the announcement of a tour! I will not be going full groupie status this time around, but I will be at at least one of the stops. The song itself to me is a classic White Reaper track. It’s hard for their songs not to be with Tony’s vocals, but that’s besides the point. The guitar is clean and intricate, the harmonies are tight, and this time around we get a little more love for Ryan’s synth. I was immediately singing the chorus and it’s just got me really excited for the rest of the album. White Reaper is back!
Twenty One Pilots
“The Contract” – It;s absolutely crazy to me that twenty one pilots already has new music out in this world. It’s barely been a year since Clancy was released, and it just seems like not enough time has passed. Heck, they are technically still touring on that record! But a large part of me thinks that perhaps their newest album, Breach, due out in September, was maybe recorded at the same time as Clancy. Hence the quick turnaround. Otherwise, I just have no clue how they could have gotten a new record put together so fast! No mention has been made in relation to the recording process, so it’s just a guess for now. With that being said, twenty one pilots is always going to be good, but if I’m comparing lead singles, this one doesn’t really hold a candle to “Overcompensate.” I’ve listened to this track several times now and nothing about it really sticks with me after the fact. I still have high hopes for the rest of the album, though! I do wonder if we’ll get a music video for all of these tracks, too? That would be so fun! We’re already getting a tour, so I can’t complain. And apparently, this is the final installment of the journey of Clancy, so I might be even more interested to see what future records sound like. Apparently Vessel was not a part of this narrative, so I would be more than down to a return to that sound. Either way, I look forward to this promotional cycle for however long they want to ride it.