EXO - Call Me Baby

Expectations can be so irritating. Being a pop music fanatic has its drawbacks, and one of them is that I always place unrealistic expectations on soon-to-be-released songs or albums by artists I like. So many times, these expectations are impossible to meet and I wind up being initially disappointed in a release only to backtrack a day or two later and realize that the song or album is actually quite good… just different than I had set it up in my mind. Such is the case with EXO. Now, EXO is not my favorite K-Pop group, but they were my first. And they’re also (arguably) the most globally successful Korean group of the moment. So, when they release something new, I sit up and pay attention. While the new album as a whole is solid, if a little slow/boring, the single (Call Me Baby) is fantastic. But it did take me a couple of days to get used to. It has a lighter, less experimental feel than most of the band’s singles, and was initially jarring because of this. I dig the Michael Jackson influence as usual, but I'm also (strangely) feeling a bit of an 'Nsync Pop-era influence. This seemed like a step back for the group at first, but now I'm kind of loving it. Call Me Baby won’t end up being my favorite single of theirs, and I bet the inevitable repackage track will be even better, but at least one of the big dogs of K-Pop has finally released something new this year. I hope it opens the floodgates for all of the other A-Level acts to come back.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.