After School return with “Flashback”

After School made their Kahi-less comeback this week with the release of their new single “Flashback”.

Following last year’s luscious “Shampoo”, “Flashback” marks a return to the trashier dance-pop sound of the group’s early days of “Ah” and “Diva”.

On the first listen, I was pretty disappointed with “Flashback”. It’s generic, and sounds more like a rookie single than a comeback track from a group who have delivered songs as great as “Shampoo” and “Because of You”, but with a few spins, it’s grown on me a lot. Yeah, it still sounds like a rookie track, and even Son Dam Bi’s singles (with the exception of “Queen”) are far superior to “Flashback”, but at least it’s a good rookie track. The hard dance beat, with its occasional sprinkles of electro and techno synths, is pretty hot, and the song’s got a strong hook (“B-b-b-boy I miss you!”). Even the contrived dubstep breakdown is sizzling with it’s bubbly wobbles and stutters.

The ladies of After School also sound really sexy with their vocal delivery, so much so that it’s hard to think that this is the same group that spawned Orange Caramel.

The music video is smokin’, and plays a lot like a classier version of RaNia’s “Dr. Feel Good”, with a splash of Dal★Shabet’s “Hit U” thrown in for good measure. Sexy really suits After School, and for the first time in AS history, I can’t pick a messy member of the group. E-Young even stopped being completely useless, and UEE’s chilling crossed-eyed gaze isn’t nearly as terrifying as it usually is.

Overall, I like “Flashback”, but I would’ve liked it better if Kahi had done it as a trashy solo single and After School had come out with something a bit more distinctive and original.

What do y’all think?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 at 8:58 pm and is filed under Music Videos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • johnnybravo831

    Agree. 1,000,000%. It’s grown on me a lot especially after the video. Nana owns everything and E-Young doesn’t look out of place, which is a pleasant surprise. Coulda been better but I ain’t mad.

  • cuntley

    I’m so happy that your site is back. :’)

    I didn’t like the song at first but after I saw the video it grew on me a lot.

    It’s still not better than Nana’s solo on the album tho. Eyeline is so damn hot.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzTjSmVf6OM

  • YourYG Bias

    I’m pleasantly surprised at Nana’s performance in the MV and during the song. Gotta say that it’s such a generic track but their maxi manages to salvage whatever love I have for AS. 

    Nana was great, I never really followed her but that qurl can werk it. Props to AS. 

  • http://twitter.com/ICONI3 ICONI3

    I like it..could it be better? Yes but it’s a pretty good comeback effort.

  • Ange1Serran0

    I like the song. It isn’t as addicting as Eyeline by nana or even timeless by jung ah and raina but overall it a good song for after school. But sadly it would make them any bigger:(

  • tjoz

    It would have been better if they had of used Data’s song throughout the whole song and not just in the breakdown.

    I liking it more as I listen to it more. I still prefer Data’s version.

    Nana still has the best song on their mini album

  • Jerry

    Can you elaborate on “Data”? Did they sample this song?

  • http://www.facebook.com/lucaswoodstock Lucas Oliveira Dantas

    hahaha i gotta confess that everytime i come across an opinion of yours that is similar to mine i cheer inside. i love your k-pop reviews and your general commentary about the korean addictive candies, so i’m glad we match most of the times [i particularly loved that you liked gangkiz's debut EP "we became gang", for example].

    so, last night while the site was away i obsessed about flashback for a few hours and wrote a review of my own, posted on a facebook group i’m on. and funny thing is i wrote exactly what you did about the track: the dance-pop tune is way inferior to the group’s history but it is actually good and does grown on you. i even wrote about the uselessness of the dubstep break becoming something actually enjoyable with a few more listens – in the contrary with what happens with snsd’s paparazzi’s dubstep (actually i like that track less everytime i listen to it).

    about the EP i dare say it is a change of sound for AS since they’ve dived even deeper into the european gay club dance trash thing. i’ve always thought that even their dance-pop tracks had an urban vibe and sometimes very r&b – with few exceptions, of course, like “shampoo” and sugary “wonder boy”. aside the filler ballads, the EP is totally club oriented and nana’s solo, “eyeline”, is something kylie minogue would love to put her lovely hands on.

  • KingBeaArthur

    The song isn’t bad but the mv is so incredibly…unimpressive. Sure everyone looks fantastic but it’s such a waste imo.

  • tjoz

    The track samples Data’s I Dont Wanna Make A Love:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjPrPSME72U

    Data was the original Thai member of RaNia before they debuted and signed a solo contract out in Thailand with Sony. Its how we ended up with Joy; she replaced Data. I Dont Wanna Make A Love was her debut song released last year

  • Steveroni

    Jung Ah and Nana are who I am here for. Flawless.

    The video made me like the song a lot more.

  • http://twitter.com/HyunAKnowles HyunA Knowles

    I LOVE FLASHBACK! I think it’s very good and a bold statement that shows the new After School. Sure, I love Shampoo but it’s just about time for them to release something that actually fits their grown-up women image.

    Btw, dat vogue line reference “Strike a pose” gives me life! So flawless!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_U67SZ37IJIJVTT4Y5GYLDQ6DB4 Bailey

    It’s a hot mess for me. AS has turned into “Nana and the Nanettes” – she got three solo lines and a bunch of solo shots in the MV, and also has yet ANOTHER solo song (she now has two and a duet with Lizzy). Where did the AS of old go? The ones who actually danced instead of squatting and throwing their hair around, who actually divided their damn lines properly? (What was the POINT of adding Kaeun and E-Young, if you’re going to give them five seconds of screentime and half a line each?)

    I’ll have to see how they do live – at this point, I only care about JungAh, E-Young and Raina.

    “Classier version of Dr. Feelgood”? Try cheap ripoff. I’ll take my RaNia over this mess anyday. :(

  • http://twitter.com/SirLordJ Jeff

    I’ve decided I like Kahi, Uee, and Orange Caramel more individually then in After School. Shampoo’s still great though.

  • http://twitter.com/AfterGeneration After Generation ♥

    If your an old Playgirlz/boyz, you shouldn’t be surprised if the new members always have few screen times. It’s the system of After School. But don’t worry, as they grow old inside AS, they’ll get their spotlight. Look at Nana. and Lizzy now.

  • vjx89

    love this track!

  • Bison1301

    Like you, this didn’t make any sort of impression on me at the 1st listen. Then I decided to hear it again, and by the 4th time it had grown on me a little. Its catchy in a very weird sort of way. I’ve only seen the MV once and didn’t like it… can’t remember why though. its way below “Shampoo” and “Because of you” but i can still listen and have some fun.