20141007_seoulbeats_redvelvet_benatural1Red Velvet, the latest group from SM Entertainment, debuted in August, and public reception was. . . let’s go with mixed. Their début song, “Happiness,” was nonsensical and average, being in the same disjointed vein as Girl’s Generations“I Got A Boy,” and due to some tremendously bad timing, Red Velvet got blamed for everything that had gone wrong in SM this year.

Still, “Happiness” was not a bad song– sometimes you just need bubblegum pop– and it showed that, like it or not, Red Velvet has pipes. And they’ll get the chance to prove it with their comeback “Be Natural”.

Aaaaand it’s a remake. The orignal was actually done by SM’s own SES. “Be Natural” was a promoted track off their fourth album, A Letter From Greenland.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geWN7mHXzv4]

This is either a) SM reaching new and unplumbed levels of laziness, or b) the inevitable conclusion of being a monster company in love with remaking songs. Honestly, I’m going with c) both.

It’s extremely aggrivating to see how unwilling SM is to make their own freaking music at this point, as not only is this a cover, it’s not even the first time Red Velvet members have covered this song. Seulgi and Irene performed their own version predebut as part of SMRookies. I’m looking forward to seeing what Red Velvet can do with a more substantial song.

Look out for “Be Natural” on October 13.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZ9je4xSIY]

(SM Entertainment, YouTube[1][2][3])