Music Assessment: SHINee – Poet | Artist

SHINee have spent the final week celebrating their anniversary with the streaming of a number of live shows. This all builds as much as a brand new single, written by (and that includes vocals from) their late member Jonghyun. Although Poet | Artist gained’t be promoted past a music video, it nonetheless feels extra notable than a typical fan music. In any case, this is likely one of the most celebrated acts in Okay-pop they usually don’t return with new music usually. In addition they occur to be one among my favourite teams. Ever.

Due to this, it appears virtually unfair to critique Poet | Artist as a music. Like different well-loved second-gen teams, will probably be sufficient for many followers that SHINee have launched new music in any respect. However me being me, I can’t assist however want these seasoned acts would return with work that both pushes them ahead or recaptures the very best of their previous output. Poet | Artist doesn’t do both of these items, although I doubt it’s meant to. It was initially written for Jonghyun’s second album of the identical identify throughout a interval in pop music the place traits didn’t usually align with my private style. So, I’m not stunned that the music fails to knock me out. Between its lurching mid-tempo vitality to its truncated melodies, the observe is just working in an area I don’t are inclined to flock again to usually.

Provided that that is SHINee, their unbelievable expertise and vocal prowess elevates the fabric. Regardless of the music, it’s beautiful to listen to their tones layered on prime of one another, creating that mighty wall of sound that has at all times made them a pressure to be reckoned with. They carry out Poet | Artist admirably, with aptitude and emotion to spare. Nevertheless, I discover the music rhythmically repetitive with little melody to seize maintain of. Should you had been to isolate any twenty-second stretch of the music, you’d have heard just about every part it has to supply. On this approach, Poet | Artist spins its wheels with out a lot growth. I’ve a sense the stuttering hook will develop extra addictive with time and it’s so good to listen to them again collectively, however on the grand scale of SHINee classics (of which their are many), Poet | Artist is extra of a nice footnote than a towering standout.

Grade: B-