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CRAVITY deserve praise for releasing a massive, twelve-track album. In these days of idol groups calling eight or nine tracks (two of them being interludes) a “full” album, twelve new songs is an outright compendium. This length also guarantees a certain amount of filler, but on the whole CRAVITY’s Dare To Crave is pretty solid. I have the same issue with it that I’ve always had with the group’s work. To me, they lack a distinct sound, making everything feel a bit generic. However, “generic” isn’t always a bad thing as long as the songwriting is strong. When it comes to highlights, I really like the rock energy of Underdog and the anthemic melodies of opening track On My Way. My favorite b-side happens to be a unit track, performed by members Allen, Wonjin and Hyeongjun. Stadium erupts with the kind of upbeat funk bombast I always crave in K-pop. Apart from a needless rap breakdown and grating “la la la” chant (two tropes that have long since worn out their welcome), Stadium is a burst of addictive energy. I love how full the production sounds on the chorus. The rugged electro beat has great drive that makes the song feel like a coiled spring ready to attack at every turn. The hooks could be stronger, but this sound is a great fit for the members and comes across as a nice blend of refreshing and swaggering.
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. Occasionally, I dive in and offer in-depth track by track reviews, but sometimes a bite-sized overview is just as fun. That’s what this feature is all about: sharing notable albums and offering some quick thoughts about what makes them tick
K-pop history is stuffed with great albums, and there’s only so many Buried Treasures and Battle of the B-sides features available to cover all these noteworthy tracks. The album format has always been special to me. Whether it’s a full-length or mini, albums have the opportunity to tell stories and develop an act’s personal style. Occasionally, I dive in and offer in-depth track by track reviews, but sometimes a bite-sized overview is just as fun. That’s what this feature is all about: sharing notable albums and offering some quick thoughts about what makes them tick.
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