For "Mileage", the first major single off new album One Fine Day. Jung Yong Hwa is in full glory goofy flirt mode, ie his best side (get him a role for this please). Too bad it's not summer because this song is a perfect top-down palm tree boulevard jam with a funky opener and short measures that promote sass. YDG's just ramblin' rap counterpoint complements the appease me crooning. (Plus "dancing".)


Then there's Yong Hwa in piano/orchestral title track "One Fine Day", which recalls the bitter sweetness of Alex's first solo album paired with a soaring heartbreak-y climax. First real ballad for our pop rocker and showing it with a few weak spots during performances over the longer phrasings and heavy belting. But nevertheless, a welcome demonstration of expanding range. (Plus "dancing" and a kiss.)


The partnerships throughout the album are well chosen to add RESPECT and some harmonic weight to tracks balanced towards Yong Hwa's bright vocal color. The duets are really solid.

"Checkmate" with straight up moody rock and a surprising addition of JJ Lin.


Yoon Da Hyun maybe blows it out of the water in "Cruel Memories", but the two sound great together.


Verbal Jint lends some smoothness to the scatting texture of the lyrics in "Energy".


I might have preferred if he committed to either the stretch of more electronic pop/ballad experimentation, as in Mileage, or an ambient rocker vibe, a la Last Leaf and the strange 70's haze inflected lullaby of 27 Years, with more conviction, conceptually. But I suppose people might have mutinied if they didn't get some strawberries in their basket.

More in the wheelhouse...
Cutesy, bouncy Star, You which premiered at the SBS Gayo.