TAEMIN Eternal Album Review
Added 2024-08-20 13:37:25 +0000 UTCThis is a slight improvement to the Guilty EP though it would've been a GREAT improvement if the songs felt more complete. I kept waiting for that moment of release and for it to click in my mind but it's like he kept edging me lol.
Deja Vu is the only song that I felt had the POLISH I'd expect from an artist of Taemin's stature. The trajectory of the choreo also kind of plateu'd? I thought there would be a climax now that I think of it but it seems everything exciting happens by the time you're half-way through the video.
Perhaps he's rebelling from the structure he had gotten use used to? It could also have to do with the genre he's doing here which started very hip-hop at the start but throughout the album became more 80's synth based which I am more in to!
The issue with an artist as iconic as Taemin, he set the bar SOOO HIGH and has been the vision of grandeur and high fashion that anything else can feel underwhelming. I DO believe he could still find the fine line of doing something new/raw without sacrificing the scale of how powerful he is as a performer.
I'm guessing they'll be a video or performance video for Horizon. I tHINK I may have like that better!
Enjoy!
Comments
The funny thing is I made my friend who doesn't listen for details to listen to that lyric video and the mp3. She did and asked me why you would listen to that version for a review or reaction. Does he need lyrics? And I said no he told me himself in a video premiere he doesn't bother with them. She goes... then why? Hahaha
Dory G
2024-09-01 00:21:27 +0000 UTCYeahh I think I'll have to do it via Spotify for sure since I don't really care for the lyrics anyway lol
Koko3op
2024-08-31 17:56:46 +0000 UTCUhhh I was so confused when Horizon started... just a heads up you may want to consider doing these reactions to the actual mp3s because not only are you missing instrumentation some of his background vocals are barely even there. It's so compressed. The vocal effect in verse 2 sounds way too crunchy in this video. I just looked up the video you're watching and it's not that I'm watching this. Better days is further back but not as blended as the lyric video you're watching... the mp3 is fuller. This song makes my phone vibrate at 1/4th volume. Lol
Dory G
2024-08-31 15:26:37 +0000 UTCI'm late. Had to join again to find this video. I love this album for what it represents. This guy did an album on his own and a few connections and not the SM family he knew for 15 years. He was preparing for his 1st world tour and needed to prove that Taemin is Taemin even without SM (funny thing is that was his exhibition slogan). From everything Taemin said this was all rushed. He told Bada on her show they did Sexy in the Air's choreo for 4 days then immediatley did the MV so he was still working on choreo while filming. I know some people hate that but something I loved about Advice was we had an inclomplete dance in the MV then his performance then 3 days of music shows in which he finetuned more and more each day. We got to see in real time how Taemin finetunes a choreo. Similar to Want intro always being different because Koharu intentionally left it empty to make him freestyle. I saw his concert today and SITA and Horizon are different. He increased the amount he freestyles too and he has solo dances on other new songs. So if you complain Eternal feels incomplete you are correct. You'll have to watch him complete it on tour. Lol
Dory G
2024-08-31 14:51:38 +0000 UTCYeah I agree with a lot of your opinions! I just felt although production and vocals were amazing it felt slightly empty for me! Like when you compared Crush to Nemo you can immediately hear the difference in fullness of the tracks. In Nemo the vocals filled up the rest of the space that the instrumentation didn’t! But maybe that is just because I have always performed with live bands where everything sounds fuller so my mindset is stuck there!
KANE
2024-08-25 05:10:19 +0000 UTCYeahh I don't think Deja Vu would've worked as the title track. I think SITA has the most presence but just lacking a super strong climax/distinct chorus
Koko3op
2024-08-24 08:34:24 +0000 UTCHe talked about making deja vu the title track but he changed it for SITA. I think this is very performance oriented. The MV makes it seems like the choreo is lacking something but the stages and studio choom are just amazing. This very much feels like he wanted something out begore the world tour and all the songs will be good live so it makes sense. Alors he did a performance of SITA with a hand mic and while he tonned down the choreo a bit i think the live vocals and overall vibes of the performance are worth it !
Marie
2024-08-24 00:06:50 +0000 UTCYesss for sure. I think I would've liked stronger choruses or climaxes for these songs for sure.
Koko3op
2024-08-23 08:23:33 +0000 UTCI'd say I agree with your opinion on this album for sure, while I enjoy it and I like the genres he's trying out you can tell it's him experimenting with stuff he hasn't been allowed to do before. I think that's why Deja Vu sounds so complete compared to the others, it's comfortably within the lines of what he's known for when it comes to his sound/music. I also suspect that he might have had to rush the album for the world tour unfortunately...
dpmoho
2024-08-22 22:35:43 +0000 UTCSorry in advance I’ve got a whole PARAGRAPH of thoughts lol!! but i think you really nailed it with your comments on the finish. To me his vocals sounded kind of thin and compressed at times, to the extent that the powerful vocal performance he gave in The Unknown Sea was kind of diminished!! What I love about Taemin’s voice is the balance between his airy, high notes and the rounder, richer undertones / resonance. Which I felt was largely lacking in this mini. I also found that similar “unfinished” quality to the songwriting; it felt like every song had a dynamic, incredible concept and (very satisfying) experimental production choices but in the last 30 seconds kind of stopped developing. BUT having said all that, I really feel like his last two projects together mark the birth of a new artistic era for Taemin—bidding farewell to SM with Guilty, and announcing his new (& “eternal”) self with this. I think he’s having fun exploring and settling into this freer identity, and that the growth and solidification of his genre experiments from Guilty to this give me faith that Taemin will only get better. Like you, Advice is my favourite Taemin project, but looking at the BTS from that era, the man was so stressed and rushed and upset, that immense pressure and the fear of enlistment and the tensions in SM led him to give his all and you can tell it really exhausted and burnt him out. He’s come back after two years more settled and self-assured and mature, and maybe that has forced a kind of artistic “reset” but I am happy if it means a healthier and more sustainable career! And ultimately I think more interesting in the long term :)
edamammy
2024-08-21 09:56:22 +0000 UTCHaha yess Horizon is very Key like! Yess I think a big beat chorus would've been great too!
Koko3op
2024-08-21 06:28:23 +0000 UTCi also have the same little bit of sour feeling on some songs’ lack of perfection. not sure if it comes from working with new company/staffs. But honestly speaking, i am enjoying this album more than his Guilty album. so overall i am pretty much satisfied. perhaps the songs might grow on me more if i listen to those more. thank you for your honest reaction. I love Taemin so much and i can’t wait for the his performance and stages cuz i know the actual performance might change my thoughts on this album.
hyun tanchoi
2024-08-21 06:20:12 +0000 UTCThe album was okay, but I'm glad he is comfortable enough to start writing and producing again. I'm sure he will find his footing. I'm excited to see what his idea of experimental and non-commercial is because he was already pushing against norms and standards with some of his imagery. Sexy in the Air is probably his weakest title track, but it has some solid moments. The song reminds me of those club scenes in '90s action movies. I thought it was headed to big beat territory (I wish it did) when the chorus started because of the looping guitar and drums, but then it just went into the next verse. That chorus needs to be built out a little more. I didn't realize it was the chorus until the second time around. That moment in the bridge (?) at 2:13 when he sings "feeling" is one of the most Taemin-sounding things. It just feels lush and sultry. This time, Horizon, Deja Vu, and Say Less are the standouts. And let me find out Taemin broke into Key's house again and stole Horizon off his demo hard drive. Like Horizon is Killer's cousin.
Monte
2024-08-21 04:24:14 +0000 UTCNext level!!
Koko3op
2024-08-20 15:26:17 +0000 UTCI can't even imagine what it must be like in person cause the presence he has just coming through the camera is insane!!
life of nicole
2024-08-20 14:43:36 +0000 UTC100% agree with you. i think for me i need to do a second listen to really figure out if i love the album or not but Horizon was a yes at first listen
Stella
2024-08-20 14:41:39 +0000 UTCThis is a good point, the turn out is quite quick! It could be that for sure.
Koko3op
2024-08-20 14:35:39 +0000 UTCYeah that's likely to happen with most people I think, you enjoy an artist because they're doing something you enjoy. Notice I also said most of my complaints are a lack of finish in either duration of production, not just the genre because some interesting things happen so I'm looking for the medium for sure.
Koko3op
2024-08-20 14:35:08 +0000 UTCi get what you mean with vocals not being polished. i was a little taken a back when i was listening for the first time as well. but i dont mind it as much because i lowkey have a tin ear and music is mostly about ✨vibes✨ for me lol. i think that this album is kind of a victim of the tour? in the sense that maybe they didnt have time to polish everything to a perfection. he joined bpm in april and its only august after all. i wasnt even expecting an album so soon tbh (but im not complaining obviously) also i need him to have tour dates in europe, i feel like the crowd here would go crazy during horizon (especially the "better days" part)
morela
2024-08-20 14:27:23 +0000 UTCThis was Taemin first self composed and produced album and I absolutely loved the freedom he had. In his lives(if you watched any) he had expressed that at this stage in his career he is doing what he feels and is experimenting with sounds and genres he has not tapped into before. I knew you wouldn’t like it because it’s not “old” Taemin or the Taemin you like. I’ve noticed as older artists have gotten away from the sound that brought you to them; the more and more you not into or dislike their newer music. I love this new side of Taemin maybe you find a happy medium between the old and the new. 😉
Azure Hickman
2024-08-20 14:07:44 +0000 UTCHHAHA we're yin and yang! Yess I'm looking forward to the performance video
Koko3op
2024-08-20 14:01:20 +0000 UTCHAHAHAHA and I checked it and forgot to edit
Koko3op
2024-08-20 14:01:01 +0000 UTCalso i was just watching "run seokjin" so i didnt even register at first that you called the video "epiphany" instead of "eternal" lol
morela
2024-08-20 13:51:36 +0000 UTChonestly its my favourite taemin album (i say it about every new album tho....). it needs to marinate for me still. i LOVED guilty ep and i know that you didnt really vibe with it so im not suprised that we differ here as well hehe. its nice to see him have so much control over everything. i think he will experiment more in the future with his sound and im already excited. also horizon will have a performance video!! taemin spoiled that its his fastest choreo yet, im really intrigued (sorry for rambling, but its taemin lol i can ramble about him endlessly)
morela
2024-08-20 13:48:30 +0000 UTC
