WENDY - Wish You Hell Album Review
Added 2024-03-13 12:09:25 +0000 UTCHmmm, idk, Wendy could've kept this.
Like I say in the video, great vocalists can sometimes be uninspiring soloists/artists and she's one of them for me.
The production and melody lines left a lot to be a desired. A lot of it was very safe and to be expected and it's soo frustrating to point out what's missing but I know if I heard what I wanted I would instantly recognise it. It's that magic!
Anyway, enjoy!
Comments
Yep she's one of the 3rd gen soloists I really like.
Zara
2024-03-16 09:58:07 +0000 UTChonestly i really liked seulgi's debut with 28 reasons and i thought it really suited her as an artist.
Ellery Gee
2024-03-16 09:34:36 +0000 UTCYes you've hit the nail on the head!!
Koko3op
2024-03-15 10:09:00 +0000 UTCOk I think I know now why this comeback was so disappointing. Correct me if I'm wrong but I feel like there aren't many 3rd gen female soloists who put out mature-sounding and ICONIC songs, are great vocalists and have great stage presence. But feel free to enlighten me if I'm wrong. I think Wendy has all the right tools to do this. I think she is in the unique position of being a soloist with phenomenal vocal ability, but also being very expressive and with pretty decent dancing abilities - and she's in a company with the resources to push her. But I feel she hasn't established herself as an industry-leading female soloist, in the way Taeyeon has. The title track doesn't make her stand out or sound unique, and tbh sounds quite dated. But she also hasn't had many solo releases so I understand it will take time to find a sound (and SM is also tanking too which doesn't help). Personally, I wanted her to do something mature and timeless like Misamo but also utilise her pop RnB strengths (something like NCT's perfume maybe?). Anyways, I love her but I think she has sadly disappointed me like most of my faves these last 12 months hehe. I was really looking forward to so many releases (Jihyo, Dreamcatcher, Sunmi, Ten) and they all fell short loool. Hopefully one of my faves excite me soon!
Zara
2024-03-15 05:59:07 +0000 UTCI personally won’t be reaching for this album, I hope to see Wendy have growth as an artist and really do something more with her music
Liz
2024-03-14 01:33:29 +0000 UTCIt definitely shows it was rushed it seems!
Koko3op
2024-03-13 23:19:30 +0000 UTCAgreed!!
Koko3op
2024-03-13 23:18:58 +0000 UTCAm I the only one who thinks that the framework of this album is there, but the execution is far from satisfying? Hot takes incoming lol: I can totally imagine Taeyeon singing the same songs but she’ll add more nuances on the vocal delivery, more vocal layers and adlibs here and there, thus adding the sprinkles of magic and oompf factor to the songs. Laid back song doesn’t mean flat dynamics and easy listening song doesnt mean the absence of emotion — which is the recurring problems I have been having on her songs in this mini. Despite all of this I’m glad that Wendy is willing to experiment and venture out from her ballad sound from her first mini, and I am still looking forward to her future projects.
babybleu zzz
2024-03-13 21:55:46 +0000 UTCas someone who LOVED the first mini as it had so much life and emotion in it, this was incredibly underwhelming. the album kinda feels like it's made for k-netz as they prob don't know what great rnb sounds like LMFAOO. however on the bright side, it's a very easy listen to adds my chill playlists ! highly recommend you check out her first EP as it's decently ballad heavy and does her justice melodically, along with more soulful composition that doesn't feel... as outdated as this new ep sounds...
Jonathan
2024-03-13 21:21:24 +0000 UTCHa, I actually thought we would get a more poppy dance track after reading the song description! And even if I personally can't see her as a straight pop girly, it would've been something different and exciting! Wish You Hell will probably still get a choreo - with the backup dancers doing most of the dancing, like Joy's Hello. But yeah, I feel you. I can see why many vocalists go the ballad/OST route, but especially Wendy has so many other strengths. Like you said her dancing is great! She's also known for having many different voices in her, so she could do any genre really and her stage presence is simply *there*, she should've no problem filling a stage on her own. I guess it's combination of Wendy not knowing yet what she really wants and SM not being willing to experiment/try something new. This middle ground was their safest bet, and one can only hope that she's gonna grow from here. Sometimes I really wish all idols would go to different companies for their solo work, to leave their comfort zones as artists and maybe get some new perspectives.
olivia
2024-03-13 19:03:30 +0000 UTCYeah I guess she's found her way but something else I thought of is, why not dance too? She's under appreciated as a dancer and I have no idea why doesn't utilise this in her solo work. It doesn't have to be crazy but something like what Taeyeon does. It'll also add layers and personality to her music. I feel like SM only wants their vocalists to just SING. It could be her choice to but it's not like RV are known for their difficult exhausting choreo to the point where she doesn't want to do it anymore lool. Wendy could SOO do a song like Miley - Flowers if she doesn't want to do R&B. I mean there's SO MUCH out there. But I dunno this is just ... ok.
Koko3op
2024-03-13 18:28:16 +0000 UTCOkay so, I haven't had the time to sit down and really listen to the album yet - so I'm refraining from watching your reaction for now. But after seeing the Wish You Hell MV, hearing the song a few times and especially looking at the runtime of the other songs .. I'm already kinda disappointed with the project. I guess it's normal to expect certain things and those expectations not always being met, especially from an artist that's still finding themselves as an soloist. Wendy gained a lot of confidence last year and finally pushed back against whatever mold SM wanted to press her in, but this whole album sadly was rushed (and undercooked - at least judging by quite a few reactions I've seen to it so far). Which saddens me deeply, but doesn't surprise me. During Chill Kill video calls with fans Wendy mentioned that her comeback won't have much R&B, which angered fans and I feel like that may have influenced her quite a lot. (Also many fans found her first mini ~boring, a fact that "fans" probably also told her during those damned calls.) She fought back against whatever they picked for her and the A&R team probably scrampered to find new songs. And while I'm sure the songs are fine and Wendy sings them beautifully, I'm also sure that they aren't the perfect fit. I respect her so much for wanting to express herself in different ways, to be more than just a powerhouse vocalist that sings ballads and I'm sure this album is only a stepping stone on her way to becoming her true self as an solo artist. I just wish SM (and she herself) had given this album a bit more time. Nowadays nobody really gets the time to really develop a project anymore (neither the producer nor the singers), the results have to be instant it seems and that, plus the obession with this catchy tiktok-shtick really drives the quality down. That being said, I'll probably still enjoy the album, but it's totally fine to expect more. And I always appreciate you being honest!
olivia
2024-03-13 18:20:47 +0000 UTCI love my easy listening albums so this will go on my rotation. Wendy is also someone who I feel should have a good solo career. Its kind of a testament to SM's fading powers that they can't even seem to push her to have 50% of Taeyeon's career As for the album & songs, I feel kinda the same way for many of SM's recent solos. They output so many albums a year nowadays and they are fine but you get this feeling that if they were cooked a bit longer, they could be great? You use the word "safe" many times and I guess that fits. I'm trying to think of a better word but failing. Cos its not entirely fluff you can just dismiss, there's genuine attempt at artistry but its a bit underwhelming as well
Mint
2024-03-13 17:30:08 +0000 UTCOverall, I think all the songs' chorus's were problematic, (as in cringy). I also expected her to belt more when the songs were going there, and I think it would've helped some of the songs feel more earnest. At times, the songs were seemed like they were meant to be loud; in particular, the first half of the album felt like songs for Kelly Clarkson or Demi Lovato, but then she didn't put power behind her voice. idk, it was also retail pop to me :/
Irene
2024-03-13 17:02:27 +0000 UTCYeah I really do wonder sometimes how these schedules are done. It's a shame it was so rushed, it certainly shows.
Koko3op
2024-03-13 16:39:46 +0000 UTCI will say before even getting into the music, I was disapointented and a little surprised when the date for this album was released bc I felt like she had JUST signed her contract with SM; which means this album was probably made in like 3 months. And although I didn't expect her to write her own music, that's just way too fast of a turn around to me for a someone whose had as long of a career as she's had. Like I just don't understand how SM could think that this is what would be best for them; releasing THIS kind of album right before April, which is about to be packed. Like WHY not wait until June and take your time with it?? idk this is prob the type of bull that caused taemin to leave, just saying...
Irene
2024-03-13 16:33:26 +0000 UTCThis album was so disappointing and with these boring songs.
Ashley
2024-03-13 16:32:02 +0000 UTCI hear this!!
Koko3op
2024-03-13 16:29:40 +0000 UTCHahaha you make perfect sense!
Koko3op
2024-03-13 16:23:49 +0000 UTCI wanted so much more from her. This mini album felt too safe and it was forgettable. I was actually hoping for some ballads since I love some good cry in the corner music but I felt nothing from this. Too generic.
Kym
2024-03-13 16:19:35 +0000 UTCI'm commenting before watching, I'm also half asleep so don't come for me if I don't make sense ahaha. I was sooo disappointed by this album, particularly the title track. It felt like a watered down Olivia Rodrigo song :( It's a shame because love her voice, particularly her deeper mature-sounding tone like she showed us in Kingdom Come.I was hoping for maybe pop RnB or something along those lines.
Zara
2024-03-13 13:18:19 +0000 UTC
