









5K Shares

This post is by guest writer Jara Rowe.

First Love&Letter is Seventeen‘s first full album. This 13 member boy band are super rookies that are proving that they are more than just a performance group. The members played a major role in this album, writing or co-writing every track as well as composing or co-composing the majority of them. First Love&Letter appeared at No. 3 on Billboard’s World Albums chart the week of May 4. This full album demonstrates that Seventeen has a solid future ahead of them.

Track 1 -엄지척 (Chuck)

Chuck, meaning ‘thumbs up’, begins with a jazzy feel with heavy horns in the first several seconds. An addictive beat then kicks in partnered with a solid rap delivery. The track picks up with an EDM feeling in the chorus. Chuck is a high energy track that I give a thumbs up to.

Track 2 – 예쁘다 (Pretty U)

This title track of First Love&Letter has more of a cutesy feel than the previous track. Pretty U is sung, appropriately, very prettily with light vocals. There is a nice R&B groove that takes over when the raps come in that I am a total fan of. However, I found the lyrics a bit cliche. The boys talk about being nervous around a girl that they find pretty. Overall, there isn’t a lot going on in the track that makes it standout.

Track 3 – 이놈의 인기 (Still Lonely)

Still Lonely is a funky track with a nice groove. It starts with a rap presented in a sing-songy way, and the whole song is expressed in a sugary yet mature manner. The delivery of the song gives it a lighthearted feel, but the lyrics are fairly deep and serious in nature. The group talks about superficial conversations and feeling lonely even when surrounded by others. Everything comes together to make an impressive track in Still Lonely.

Track 4 – 유행가 (Hit Song)

Taking on more of an R&B feel, Hit Song is next. This track is a slow jam but picks up with a tempo change that reveals a nice flow. The contrast between the rap styles and tones’ of voices is nice and adds interest to the track. This is one of the more mature sounding songs on the album. The lyrics in Hit Song is heavily repetitive, but the other elements of the track make up for it.

Track 5 – Say Yes

Say Yes is a ballad that lets the main vocalists, Seungkwan and Dokyeom, shine. These two show an incredible range from smooth baritone notes to angelic falsettos. To keep the track moving, the tempo picks up with other embellishments. I am typically not a fan of ballads, but this is a solid track that really lets the vocalists show their abilities.

Track 6 – 떠내려가 (Drift Away)

Changing vibes once again is the sixth track, Drift Away. Drums are very prevalent in this number. The track has a lot of contrast between the vocalists and rappers, with the high pitched singing combined with the very low-toned raps. The lyrics in Drift Away talk about feelings and memories fading away over time whether you want them to or not.

Track 7 – 아낀다 (Adore U) (Vocal Team Ver.)

A completely different feel from the original Adore U, the vocal team slowed their version down. This version flows back and forth from being a normal ballad to being a heavily R&B track with staccato rhythms. Although stripped and slowed down, I found this version of Adore U more interesting than the original.

Track 8 – 만.세 (Mansae) (Hip Hop Team Ver.)

Like the vocal team’s Adore U, this hip hop version of Mansae is nothing like the original. The only time you can tell that it’s the same song is when the chorus kicks in. The confident synth keystrokes and drums partner really well in this song. The rappers chilled the track out and amped up the swag. This laid back track is great to kickback and relax to.

Track 9 – Shining Diamond (Performance Team Ver.)

This version of Shining Diamond has a funky, EDM dance feel similar to the Future Bass genre. This track is full of colorful synths that bring it to life. There’s a lot happening in this track while listening to it, but I’m sure it flows well when watching it live since it’s for the performance team.

Track 10 – 사랑쪽지 (Love Letter)

Love Letter is about just that, a love letter. The boys talk about writing all of their feelings down because it’s easier to express them that way. Love Letter is very colorful and has an anthem type of feel. Drums and guitar help the song rise and fall. This track sums up the album fairly well, being nicely composed and satisfying to listen to.











5K Shares

5K Shares











Enjoy our posts? Find out when there's more: The latest reviews

More fun reads Get Updates