The summer is thirsty for a good comeback, and with all the groups that have returned with new songs thus far, has it found the best one?
Thus far, we’ve seen the girl group rush accompanied by additional goodies from others here and there. But there can only be one song that best encapsulates the summer.
This week, we asked our writers: which summer comeback or song have you liked best? Did any disappoint? Are there any impending group comebacks that you’re excited for?
Gaya: This summer has let me down, especially with the wave upon wave of comebacks that have been hitting our shores. Nine Muses has made an impression on me with “Hurt Locker”, as has Bestie with “Excuse Me;” but that’s about it, music-wise.
Andy: I agree with Gaya regarding Nine Muses — “Hurt Locker” has become my summer jam — and Bestie. Both groups came out with good solid tracks. As for the rest of the girls, I’ve been relatively unimpressed with comebacks. Big Bang‘s ‘D’ series was nice, especially in comparison to ‘M’ and ‘A.’ They sort of restored my faith in their ability to not produce whatever the heck G-Dragon is calling that mess. On a non-K-pop front, Dickpunks‘ new song “We Young” featuring Microdot is pretty dang good and has me dancing around.
Mark: I don’t know why all the top girl groups are clumped into this month but I’m definitely not complaining. Between AOA, Girl’s Day, Sistar, and SNSD, it seems 2NE1 is the only girl group that’s missing out on the action. We have Nine Muses dancing on top of cargo boxes, SNSD in bikinis and singing about taking shots, and Sistar doing another weird butt move, but the best so far is Girl’s Day solely due to the Hyeri bike created out of a clump of male backup dancers.
Lo: Despite the huge glut of female summer comebacks, I’m not really digging any of them. I liked “Hurt Locker” and “Excuse Me” but I didn’t really love either. I like my summer jams with more of a bite, especially in the instrumentals, or very simple and stripped down. On that basis, my favorite summer jam is Big Bang’s “We Like 2 Party”, but I’m waiting for a girl group to come out with something more like Demi Lovato‘s “Cool For The Summer” so I can really get going.
Willis: With such a high concentration of groups returning, I don’t think the comebacks ever stood a chance of living up to the hype. I found myself drawn to BTOB‘s “It’s Okay” and G.Soul‘s “Love Me Again” even though these songs did not quite have a summer specific sound. The latter went under the radar despite being a really lovely tune. Ailee‘s “Johnny” was another smooth single that lacked the impact of promotions, but it stood out to me because of its jazzy sensibilities.
A comeback I am looking forward to (and kind of already heard on Spotify when it semi-leaked) is Infinite‘s “Bad.” From the few spins I gave it the other day, the production is wondrously frenetic and ostentatious. I personally enjoy songs that sound stitched together, but we will see how “Bad” stacks up after I experience the MV and dance with the song.
Hania: The whole concept of summer songs has kind of washed over me, as Australia’s going through a nasty cold snap at the moment and it’s hard to relate! Regardless, there’s no escaping the over-saturated market at the moment, but unfortunately, not many gems stand out from the crowd.
Like Lo, I enjoyed “We Like 2 Party”, as it’s really lighthearted and unpretentious. It’s the perfect song to sing-along to on a road trip, capturing the spirit of summer.
The only other upbeat song that keeps playing in my mind is Seventeen‘s “Adore U”. Although I’m still undecided on whether I want to commit time and energy on these boys, the song is still a decent one that is infectious and also dabbles in some summery vibes.
Chelsea: I was super excited for the slew of girl group releases this summer when they were announced. However, most have been pretty lackluster. Summer tunes for me are all about bubble-gum pop and easy listening, but a most of this summer’s releases have been casual to the point of being forgettable — with the exception of the harmonica cluster-jam that was Girl’s Day’s “Ring My Bell.”
While summer is far from over, I think NS Yoon-G’s “Honey Summer” has probably been my favorite — and most over-looked — summer release. It accomplished much of what SNSD’s “Party” was trying to do, but is infinitely more catchy. Similarly, AOA’s “Heart Attack” has really grown on me in the couple of weeks since it’s release. Even though “Party” wasn’t my cup of tea, “Check” has given me enough hope to hold out for SNSD’s two follow up releases before I make my final judgement.
Lindsay: My favorite summer songs have been GOT7‘s “Just Right,” (that song, those lyrics, that dance), Seventeen’s “Adore U,” (just so cute and fun and unique), and AOA’s “Heart Attack,” (I just find it insanely catchy). These three are my repeat playlist for these hot summer days.
Other than those three… I have been very disappointed. My normal go-tos, Sistar and Teen Top, have really let me down this year. That’s ok, though, just means I get to experience different groups.
Morgan: I too found myself playing AOA’s “Heart Attack” on repeat. Now it is stuck in my head and it won’t come out. Also, I’m loving Got7’s “Just Right” as you can’t go wrong with a song that promotes raising your self esteem.
With the lack of stand out summer releases this year I am getting sick of all the summer concepts. There are so many MV’s set on beaches and there are more to come. Like Hania, this might have something to do with the fact that I am in Australia and it is winter here.
Camiele: I, like Willis, have only really been intrigued by G.Soul’s second release. His voice just does things to my soul, and the three song mini he released was just a continuation of some of the brilliance I heard with Coming Home.
All of the songs that would’ve had me jamming this summer were released in the spring, so I’m not really sure I’m qualified to comment. I’ve never been a really big fan of teh hyper-cutesy, unnecessarily bright K-pop candy. They’re very specifically for kids, which is fine. But not for me. Though I, too, can appreciate the message in GOT7’s “Just Right.” It’s definitely beautiful to see a song like this, especially since given the brightness of the MV and the group in question, the target audience will be able to absorb an idol group glorifying people (especially young girls) for how they look naturally.
What about you, readers? What is your favorite summer jam this year?
