Initial Impression – BTS, Arirang

Yesterday, I sat at my desk, sporting a fine pair of Sennheiser headphones, and listened to BTS’s new album, Arirang. It’s been a long time in the making, and of course, my curiosity was on high alert. As with any release from the large array of artists that I follow, I went into it with a completely open mind. While expectations were high, I was eager to give each song my full attention.

As the first few songs went by, I had to admit I wasn’t overly impressed, but after all, this was my initial run-through. However, after listening to several more of their intensive selections, I still had reservations. Mind you, I love their aggressive, rap-oriented repertoire, but felt this was nowhere near the caliber of Tear, Mic Drop, Ddaeng, or Fire. To me, it sounded like a conglomeration of generic offerings, lacking the “fire” of their previous outpourings.

Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think it’s a prerequisite to like every song on an album (that’s rare in my estimation). However, I found it disappointing that a group I love so much left me longing.

When my family first made me listen to BTS, I agreed, but did so out of politeness. But, I must admit, I was immediately persuaded. Honestly, I found their music infectious and was surprised by how well-written the songs were. I fell in love instantaneously and became an immediate fan, even though this was far from my normal (even though eclectic) listening habits.

One of the first things that stood out (and turned me off) was the in-studio over-processing. While past albums seemed to find the right balance, Arirang appears to take it to the nth degree. While an expected feature regarding their heavier cuts, even their more melodic, singer/songwriter tunes, seemed to fall into the hands of overzealous engineers.

If you aren’t familiar with the group, they are well-known for their superb vocals and harmonies. What makes them stand out even more is the distinctive styles of their main vocalists – Jimin, Jin, V, and Jungkook. Each voice has its own flair and unique qualities, which, in my opinion, were overwhelmed with over-the-top vocal effects – autotuned to death. While I realize this is a stylistic approach indicative of their genre, I felt the heavy manipulation detracted from the beauty of their vocal line. While I gravitated more towards these selections, nothing made me shout, damn what a great song.

I have nothing against a new approach (hell, look at the difference between each new release from The Beatles), but even so, there was nothing new here. In my estimation, it was mediocre. Where was the finesse, the fire, the distinction that made them stand out from any other South Korean artists during the past decade? To add fuel to the fire, I was surprised by how many songs on the 14-track project weren’t in Korean, and I think that hurt the overall feel. Was it their intention to try to appeal more to the American segment of the market? If so, at this point in their careers, and as popular as they are, I hardly think it necessary.

They’ve often said they feel more comfortable singing in their native language because it helps them maintain their identity and authenticity. While they did release Butter and Dynamite (with English lyrics during the pandemic to attract a more global audience), they described it as a necessary alternative, not a desired change of direction. So, it has me wondering why so many of the selections were in English? I have nothing against evolution, still, to me, it takes away from their roots. It’s what makes their music more appealing – it’s less Americanized. Not so commercial.

Years ago (when I frequented social media sites like Twitter and Instagram), I was reticent in discussing my real feelings due to fear of being mobbed and attacked by ARMY (the group’s fans). It was unheard of for anyone not to like every single aspect of the seven young men. To do otherwise was to betray, so one quickly learned to keep certain feelings to oneself.

This afternoon, while perusing Google, I discovered a wealth of mixed reviews. Some were madly in love. Others expressed my sentiments. However, I’ve never felt it was a betrayal to be a fan by admitting you weren’t infatuated by every single thing to spring forth. Hell, I’ve read countless interviews with artists who declared that they weren’t in love with everything they’ve recorded. It’s human nature, and it’s okay. But that doesn’t change my love for the band. Hell, I’m going to see them in August, and I know for a fact that viewing their live performance with their incredible and precise dance routines will knock me off my feet.

Tomorrow is another day. I will give it another listen and add to my initial thoughts.