Guess I've been in a TS mood. Well that's not really true considering how little Kpop I've actually listened to over the last few months but whatever. TS Entertainment have run into the ground every group they've been in possession of. After just talking about the disappearance of Sonamoo, there's also B.A.P to talk about. Yongguk and Zelo left TS three months after this release, and then everyone else in the group followed suit. As far as I'm aware there has been no noise from then since. Maybe a few of them have released some individual material, but as we close in on three year mark for their hiatus, any reunion or comeback seems more and more unlikely. As such we'll take a look at "Hands Up," which was their final release as a group under TS.
I won't beat around the bush: "Hands Up" is a very average track that has the B.A.P usual. The chorus is repetitive and a little boring, and the bursts of life come from the rapping moments that Zelo and Yongguk share. Zelo in particular has a fantastic first verse that lights up the audio with his flow and delivery. He certainly was one of the best in the business during their prime, and that can also be said for his rapping partner Yongguk. B.A.P have always thrived on performance and rapping, so this duo has pulled through for them time and time again.
The rest of the song is just whatever. Vocals are nice but they have never been the strong point of the group. Given how simple and repetitive the chorus and non-rap parts are, I was looking for more of the choreography aspect to lift things up a little. Unfortunately, even the dance was tame by B.A.P standards. I didn't check to see if they ever performed this song live but from what can be seen in the music video, it pales in comparison to songs like "One Shot." When judging this to past hits, this song isn't nearly as powerful or engaging, which is why it ultimately falls short of their other achievements.
If "Hands Up" was the last of B.A.P, that's a shame. They came out the gates swinging with "Warrior" and for a stretch delivered powerful and driving music. Perhaps as TS' mismanagement dragged on, it affected their own abilities as well. At the least, B.A.P will be remembered for their extremely impressive debut and the pair of elite rappers they had throughout their five year tenure.
The rest of the song is just whatever. Vocals are nice but they have never been the strong point of the group. Given how simple and repetitive the chorus and non-rap parts are, I was looking for more of the choreography aspect to lift things up a little. Unfortunately, even the dance was tame by B.A.P standards. I didn't check to see if they ever performed this song live but from what can be seen in the music video, it pales in comparison to songs like "One Shot." When judging this to past hits, this song isn't nearly as powerful or engaging, which is why it ultimately falls short of their other achievements.
If "Hands Up" was the last of B.A.P, that's a shame. They came out the gates swinging with "Warrior" and for a stretch delivered powerful and driving music. Perhaps as TS' mismanagement dragged on, it affected their own abilities as well. At the least, B.A.P will be remembered for their extremely impressive debut and the pair of elite rappers they had throughout their five year tenure.
No comments:
Post a Comment