SHINee’s Super Safe “Dream Girl” Single And Their Kickass New ‘Misconceptions’ Album

SHINee Misconceptions

For the past 12 months, SM Entertainment has made a concentrated effort to step outside of the musical box. The shift may have been a genuine way for the agency to showcase some artistic growth, or perhaps just a retaliation against the linear electro-pop of its closest competitor, YG Entertainment.

Whatever the reason, things started getting a lot more interesting around SM at the beginning of last year. SHINee dropped their two-songs-in-one hybrid single, “Sherlock (Clue + Note),” EXO did operatic screamo on “MAMA,” and Girls’ Generation did that odd “Flower Power” song and the genre-breaking “I Got a Boy.” Even Super Junior stopped recycling “Sorry Sorry” and released the lusciously synthy “Sexy, Free, & Single.”

But out of all the songs released (with the exception of maybe “I Got a Boy”), it was f(x)‘s “Electric Shock” that was the biggest success. Despite being one of the most uninteresting pop tracks of last year (think 2NE1, only 200% more generic), “Electric Shock” hit No. 1 on the charts, picked up nine music program trophies, raked in 40 million views on Youtube, and its accompanying EP was the third highest-selling release from a female artist last year (behind  TaeTiSeo’s Twinkle and just a couple thousand copies shy of T-ara’s Funky Town). But perhaps the most attractive point of “Electric Shock” to SM Entertainment was that it didn’t stir up a shred of controversy — unlike “Sherlock” and the utterly polarizing “I Got a Boy.”

The message was clear: safety equals success. And best of all, it doesn’t bring drama. With that in mind, SM has taken SHINee back to their early days with the group’s new single, “Dream Girl,” which is more or less a direct clone of their 2009 hit, “Juliette.” It’s bigger, funkier, and has a hook that could knock a K-pop fan out cold, but it’s still “Juliette: 2013 Edition,” with some Electric Shock era f(x) thrown in. Yes, it’s formulaic, but it’s still undeniably good pop song. But what happened to the forward-thinking SHINee of “Sherlock,” “Lucifer” and “Ring Ding Dong?” SHINee and f(x) were supposed to be SM’s quirky groups: the acts SM uses for it’s left-field pop hits and concepts, while the likes of Girls’ Generation and Super Junior churn out the more obvious earworms. Now it’s Girls’ Generation coloring (okay, scribbling furiously) outside the lines, while f(x) and SHINee have suddenly stopped pushing the envelope in favor of quick and easy hits.

But really, I’m complaining way too much right now. “Dream Girl” is still infinitely better than “Electric Shock,” with a cheesy kind of boy band charm that’s hard to resist after repeated listens. And unlike f(x), who need fierce weirdo-pop like “Pinocchio,” and “NU ABO” to be interesting, SHINee are charismatic enough to remain fascinating even when their music may not be. Also, SHINee’s new album, Chapter 1. – The Misconceptions of You, is a hell a lot of a lot more diverse than its lead single would suggest. It’s slick and crazy and fun and exciting and all the good things that made me fall in love with K-pop in the first place. “Dream Girl” may be a little on the safe side, but dive into the album and it’s pure “Sherlock” SHINee, through and through.

One innocuous single is worth swallowing if it means getting something that’s very rare in K-pop these days: a good album.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2013 at 8:38 am and is filed under Music Videos, New Music, News. 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.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/YQ53WK5K4DPXQ5DIBKDELB6WPE Camille

    Seriously though, how on earth is “Juliette” even remotely similar to “Dream Girl?” This new song actually seems to be a compromise between old school RnB-loving (“Replay”) SHINee and their recent funky, electric sound (“Dazzling Girl”) in Japan.

    I don’t blame SM for picking this song though, even if it was pretty blah compared to the rest of the album. SNSD got a lot of negative feedback from “I Got A Boy” being too different. Yes, they still sold a shitload of albums, but they hardly won with that song, and certainly did not impress the general public. SHINee’s had mostly positive reviews so far because the song is easy to listen to, they pull it off, and it’s actually radio-friendly, something that the previous SM releases haven’t been.

  • theprophetblog

    Well I prefer interesting music than just radio-friendly. And yes, Dream Girl has lots of funk and R&B, but it still sounds like Juliette to me. A funkier more upbeat Juliette.

  • Andi

    I don’t mind “Dream Girl” as much as you do, but I do agree that many of the album tracks are far superior. I’m really feeling the MSTRKRFT-ness of “Dynamite” and “Hitchhiking” sounds like it could be “Sherlock”‘s fraternal twin, similar elements but not a carbon copy.

  • http://twitter.com/kirstydelite gwiyomi!

    hmm.. perhaps SM is giving us throwback SHINee before the wtf deliciousness of chapter 2 that’s going to have ‘deep and rough sounds’? *crosses fingers* and yes the album is devoid of disappointments. even if DG pales in comparison to Sherlock, it’s still my jam!

  • http://twitter.com/kirstydelite gwiyomi!

    well IGAB wasn’t really looking to appeal to the general public lbh. and i honestly think that IGAB’s ‘negative feedback’ is highly exaggerated. many were just initially confused by the song and didn’t actually hate it sans trolling netizens, naysayers, antis and jealous blackjacks >.> and SHINee could do another left-field track and still sell regardless because… SHINee. (i wouldn’t call many of tvxq -since fetus era-, some of shinee and fx’s promo tracks as radio-friendly :o )

  • KingBeaArthur

    I don’t have any issues with “Dream Girl”. I agree there are album cuts that outshine it ["Girls Girls Girls", "Dynamite", "Aside" imo] but that doesn’t mean it was a bad choice as a promo track.

    I think listeners set themselves up nowadays; expecting every comeback to be genre busting & crazy instead of just enjoying themselves. Maybe that’s why “Electric Shock” appealed to people…love it or hate it, it was a fun song.

    We should all just keep calm and enjoy grown man sexy Taemin.

  • http://www.facebook.com/dustin.coones Dustin ッ Coones

    Spolier is an amazing song

  • Guest

    I agree about the rarity of good albums. American and K-pop have staggered my pop buying. I used to buy American albums all the time, then just bought singles. While I was buying American singles, I bought K-pop albums. Now I buy no American pop and K-pop singles. Early TVXQ, BEG, heck even early 2ne1, I bought albums. Now I just buy the first singles. T-ara is an exception. I think Shinee has a lot more going on with some of the B-sides. But nothing grips me on impact. Some of the productions are either kind of clunky, retread too much of their tween appealing early days, or I feel like have been done with better nuance and subtlety with songs like Ring and Lucifer. Some of the more aggressive electro numbers I think will grab people on sheer adrenaline alone, but eh. Spoiler seems reductive of a creative approach they’ve already done with more virtuosity; Dynamite works only on overwrought vocal prowess. Sherlocke had a big, but balanced, production without being hyper, and moved their original images forward. It was more mature but still a very bright, youthful, pop sound. This is overall one of the stronger full lengths in recent memory. But K-pop is following American pop history, shoving about the last 30 years of American pop into a decade. As K-pop pushes more into a global trend it seems inevitable this would happen, trying harder to appeal more and more to the LCD. But it seems K-pop is reverting back to basics without actually losing a sense of talent and showmanship, unlike A-pop.

  • theprophetblog

    I don’t mind safe abd radio-friendly but I have more of an issue that that style of music was more reserved for other SM K-pop acts, and f(x) and SHINee were supposed to do the more unique stuff. They started out safe-ish to get established then switched up their sound brilliantly, so it seems like a step back when they return to the old song. And Dream Girl is good, I definitely like it, but it was a bit disappointing to go from Lucifer and Sherlock to Juliette 2.0.

    But anyway, SHINee compensated with the album being unique and exciting, so they get a pass for me.

  • KingBeaArthur

    I get what you mean, but I think even a colossus like SM are looking at some of their non TVX2/GG/SuJu groups & thinking is the investment worth the risk every single time. Obviously Shinee & f(x) sell but they’re also seemingly away longer than some of their label mates who can afford to be away, then go either 100% radio friendly or do something like “I Got A Boy” but still see the same results.

    But like I said, the fault lies on some of the listeners who expect the artists & companies to innovate every comeback. There’s plenty of artists who stick to their same old formulas pretty much all the time, so I don’t see the problem with Shinee revisiting a sound from so early in their careers if the end result is fun & catchy.

  • Kirito

    I’m not sure how I feel about ‘Dream Girl’… There are some elements I like about it, but there are some that I don’t. The album as a whole, is awesome.

    My favourite track is definitely ‘Spoiler’. It’s giving ‘Mirotic’ meets ‘Eat You Up’ and I’m loving it. I would like them to release a MV with killer choreography for that song. Personally, I would have liked it to be the title track instead, but it’s not as commercial as ‘Dream Girl’. ‘Runaway’ is another great track, but it sounds too much like ZE:A’s ‘Pheonix’ (or whatever it’s called), which was originally meant for SHINee.

    Not related to SHINee: I loved f(x)’s Electric Shock. The EP was great because they finally released something that sounded cohesive. I think the main reason why it was so successful was not only because it was so radio friendly and generic, but because f(x) was gone for a real long time and the hype around it was pretty big. Hopefully with they’ll release something like ‘NU ABO’ for their next comeback because that song is mah jam lol.

  • theprophetblog

    I just don’t think the end result is as good as some of their other stuff, like Lucifer or Sherlock, so it feels like a step backwards.

    But as I said, I’m okay with them doing it since they compensated with the album. And also, again like I said, SHINee can still do safer songs and remain really fun and interesting and great. f(x) are far less believable and their flaws really come to light when they don’t have an awesomely cool and interesting song behind them.

  • KingBeaArthur

    I guess we’re at a standstill then ^-^ At least we can agree SM stopping Taemin’s estrogen injections was the best thing for him.

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

    the ending of your review makes me SO happy! it is exactly what i think about k-pop’s problem, ESPECIALLY if you’re under SM. it has great lead singles but the albums fall flat boring and totally incongruous [except if you're girls' generation - that even with their aegyo filled loud annoying girlie songs manage to still be AWESOME].

    shinee was the other exception from the current SM stars; i don’t like their am.i.go and lucifer albums as a whole, but all of their mini-albums are beautifully crafted musical boxes that feel like were produced as a whole piece and not a lead-single with fillers.

    “the misconceptions of you” is PERFECTION! even if i’m still spazzing about “dream girl” i can see your point of view and kind of agree. but i as read i was really afraid you would end everything by simply comparing “dream girl” to “electric shock”. i’m glad you mentioned how good the album is.

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

    i agree… if you’re talking only about the “big 3″ of korean idol system. i mean, let’s change example and take jyp’s wonder girls’ “wonder party”: the filler songs were good and showed the maturity they garnered with the “wonder world” album, and that the lead single “like this” kind of obliterated with its hyperactive sound. but in overall it wasn’t a stand out production because it lacked unity somehow. as for YG, bigbang still produces [mini]albums, but last year 2NE1 and lee hi only released either formulaic or bif fat ass boring singles [lee hi].

    HOWEVER, pledis’ rooster has been releasing gorgeous albums all the time! after school’s flashback was kind of a lackluster, but it wasn’t bad at all – and their japanese debut album was great; hello venus’s two minis are gorgeous and very underrated, and even nu’est that i never cared much before, has released an awesome mini this year. and i won’t even detail how delicious is orange caramel’s 1st full length album.

    dal shabet also releases great minis and true to their outlandish image. t-ara, sunny hill, spica, NINE MUSES’ sweet rendezvous [!!!!!!!!]… if you care to listen to the whole albums/minis you may find beautiful gems that make you wish k-pop weren’t so disposable about its music.

    nooooow… may stay out of commenting american pop music… just the thought of rihanna’s unappologetic makes me puke.

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

    hahahah on that we agree 100% i’m in love with him!

  • Blah

    i love them, they make my dick hard everytime.

  • gotgotgone

    I love it but I also liked the sound they had going with Clue. I have to listen to the album now.

  • qwertyuiopasdfghjkl

    Stop bashing F(x) gosh! I didnt enjoy this post at all!

  • http://www.facebook.com/msaez3 Manuel Saez

    That’s my favorite song on the album; it’s unique, but can also stand next to any of the top song out right now.

  • find_nothing_here

    I think it’s not as much that SHINee and f(x) are “experimental” and left field as much as they are supposed to have the “artist” image. SM has really outsourced them stylistically and musically for this album.

    The thing is, there are plenty of artists that the Korean public like that are “safe.” And since SM boy groups typically don’t reign in the respect that SHINee does, they’re still “breaking the mold,” in some way.

    (I don’t think RDD or Lucifer are genre-bending really. They’re just basic electric monotone tracks.)

  • Lala

    I totally loved your review. I love Dream Girl and I think it has a delicious 70s funky vibe (the MV has a great Tim Burton-esque feeling too) and the stages have been awesome but I agree in DG being the safest track of the album. The rest is pure awesomeness and it shows how freaking talented they are. I’m expecting more and better of Chapter 2 though, since they’ve said it’ll show a “darker” and unknown side of them. I really hope they come out with a Lucifer 2.0. I want a fierce, sexy and dark song with a kickass choreography and image.