[Single Review] Girls’ Generation – I Got a Boy

When I first played Girls’ Generation‘s comeback single, “I Got a Boy”, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It doesn’t sound like what a Girls’ Generation single is supposed to sound like, nor does it even remotely resemble what any commercial pop single –K-pop or otherwise– generally sounds like today.

For starters, “I Got a Boy” is more like five songs than one. The chaotic production never stops changing, shifting from subdued electro-hop to crashing Diplo-esque hipster club crunk within seconds, sparing no time for a rest break before the next beat drops. Girls’ Generation keep up with the endless changes by constantly switching up their delivery to match the music, posturing like bubblegum b-girls as they rap at a mile a minute, dropping cheerleader chants like they did in “The Boys”, and even belting out like it’s TTS all over again.

Earlier this year, rival group, 2NE1, garnered a lot of praise from Western music press for their supposed experimentation on their hit single, “I Love You”, but all that song contains is a few minor production changes carried out safely within the confines of top forty dance-pop. On “I Got a Boy”, Girls’ Generation hurl the rulebook out the window with reckless abandon — airplay be damned! The last time a major girl group got this bold was when Girls Aloud released the brilliant “Biology”. While “I Got a Boy” is far too hip-hop to ever come from Girls Aloud or Xenomania, it does contain the same kind of fearlessness that the British girl group embodied on their pop masterpiece, Tangled Up, which is something that I never thought I’d say about an SNSD record.

With both Girls’ Generation and K-pop in general garnering more and more global spotlight, The Divine Nine’s drastic transformation is clearly a calculated effort for them to further break away from their cookie cutter image and to gain some more international credibility, just as much as it is a natural evolution for the group. They’ve certainly pulled it off effortlessly, with the flashy music video showing just how much they’ve grown as performers and pop stars, but I also can’t help but think that “I Got a Boy” would’ve also been perfect for their labelmates, f(x). The concept is essentially just a more urbanized f(x), while the song’s eclectic left-field production is exactly what I was expecting the surprisingly formulaic “Electric Shock” to be. If f(x) had released “I Got a Boy”, K-poppers everywhere would’ve likely fallen for its wild unpredictability from the first listen, instead of going through the initial shock that came from seeing Girls’ Generation suddenly go from being the girls next door to K-pop’s crunkest hipster hotties. SNSD are going to have to work much harder to sell their new style to the masses than some of their contemporaries would, but with a product this ridiculously good, it shouldn’t be too difficult.

Leave it to Girls’ Generation to set the bar impossibly high for every other artist making a comeback in 2013.

Score: 4.5/5

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 1st, 2013 at 6:38 pm and is filed under Reviews. 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.

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  • SerferTJ

    I’mma be real here…I don’t get it.
    It sounds like an album snippet sampler more than a song, and I hate the “talking” portions in between each variation cuz it stops any continuity between the sections.

    I like the idea and the individual pieces, but as awhole it doesn’t work for me. At least not yet.

  • http://twitter.com/Uranium222 Uranium

    prophetblog are you serious? 4.5/5? I give them props for doing this courageous but the song is just fucked up.

  • http://twitter.com/Uranium222 Uranium

    I wonder if you get paid to praise this song. Or if you’re just too much of a SONE that you’re judgement is too clouded. 4.5 is just too high for this. I’ll give them 4.5 for the video but if you’ll include the song, its just blahh.

  • Song

    tbh I can see why people dislike it, it seems very messy and over the place. Personally I liked it, even though it’s a very polarizing song. The random changes was jarring at first but they brought it back and managed to make the electro-pop and crunk mix well towards the middle, but they brought out the TTS moment and that was where it kinda went a bit pear-shaped. It was approaching a potentially epic climax but that shift back was what kinda threw a wet blanket over the song.

    Single: 3/5
    Album (a little disappointing, SM should just get their jap producers in on this, both SNSD jap albums have been flawless.) 2.5/5

  • rJ

    lol, Proph, I’m actually really surprised that Pop-bloody-justice did a Top 2012 K-Pop single, I had to double check to make sure I’m not in your Popdust site. And 2ne1 “I Love You” really does top that list!

  • BLACKJACK

    This song AMAZNG!!!
    I’m BJ. n I dont see similarity with 2Ne1. i think i will add fandom. SONE!!! I’m your family NOW!!

  • BLACKJACK

    i dont know why youre dont like this song… This amazing!!!!

  • fadada

    I don’t think I cant take you or this blog seriously anymore.

  • theprophetblog

    I saw it! Such a garbage predictable list. Basically anything that was the most mainstream and western got on there, and before I even read that list (when I was just told it existed) I knew 2NE1 would be #1 lmao.

  • rJ

    It’s like…do they even know Sweetune? But Bloom made the list, so I’m pretty happy at that, eventhough they gloss over the whole “sexuality” aspect of it. For God sake, you got a masturbating AND a deflowering scene in a K-Pop MUSIC VIDEO

  • SUPERNOVA3

    This is a hot ghetto mess! So disappointed I never liked GG but their last album had some pop classics OSCAR and Telepathy showed how to make great pop music. This is not alternative at all this is Pop masquerading as hip hop shit! I usually agree with you prophet but this time. I just can’t and to call this alternative is disrespectfulto all those true alternative artist.
    MESS MESS MESS !!!

  • silverzero

    i agree. he. praises. crayon pop. i’m done.

  • theprophetblog

    Crayon Pop are good. A funny and entertaining group with hilarious concepts and lots of personality. Many groups could learn a thing or two from them.

  • Heavenly

    Wow, you just lost so much credibility for me it’s not even funny. 4.5 out of 5?? Do your ears even work? It’s a MESS. 2 / 5 at best.

  • Heavenly

    I feel like reviewers are carefully treading angering Sones or wanting them on their side… The song is MESSY. Anyone can hear that. It’s not “Oh cool! You did something unique and different from other artists! How BOLD of you!” No. It’s “You tried something new and it didn’t work! Try harder next time.” Just cause they’re Girls’ Generation doesn’t entitle them to “good no matter what they do” status.

  • JammySmoochie

    Here comes trouble indeed.

    The good: I love the fact that SM is trying to turn things around for SNSD. Last year’s The Boys was severely underwhelming, for me at least, so congrats to SM for turning heads this time around. Also, I like that vocally, this was good. The choreography is also flaw-free.

    The bad: The song. Plain and simple. While I think that independently the smaller songs within this song were gorgeous (the “I got a boy” part was amazing and Sunny’s parts were worth the pussypop), it just didn’t sound clean and crisp enough. The transitions were off most of the time. Maybe they were going for the Pitch Perfect attack. But it was just messy and all over the place. While I agree that 2NE1′s I Love You is not 2NE1′s best song, at least that song made sense. And it didn’t have multiple personality disorder.

    Bottomline, this was another underwhelming Korean release from Korea’s national girl group. Some of the songs in their second Japanese album are far more deserving to be a title track. Anyways, still looking forward to the repackage.

  • Heavenly

    Uh no. Some of us aren’t going to praise “new direction” because “new” doesn’t mean “good” and this wasn’t “good” aight? And I didn’t even like “I Love You” that much. I’m just someone who listens to MUSIC. So ya’ll need to stop thinking “DOWNVOTES? Ooh must be pressed Black Jacks”. More like people whose ears work correctly.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YN4GHCMAO22DHQEZAH6ZDVZ6YQ Blinkx

    This song is just plain rubbish. So messy. The beats were all over the place. They kept changing the tempo of the song. It hurt my ears just listening to them switch over from one beat and onto another as if they were performing a mash-up of 2-3 different songs at once. It’s not superb. Its rubbish but at least its better than The Boys.

    Even the South Koreans online at Newsen are saying the same thing.
    One even said that if they were a rookie girl group and they debuted with this song they would’ve instantly flopped. SNSD will still be successful because of their popularity and SME’s mean promotion machine.

  • http://twitter.com/stefboco Stef =]

    The reason why IGAB got so many hateful remarks is because they don’t even know the meaning of the song. Try watching it with English subs. You’ll understand why.

  • http://twitter.com/Sergeant_Im Sergeant Im

    i listen to a lot of music, especially progressive metal, technical death … so key changes, melody changes, odd signature timing are nothing strange to me. IGAB sounds perfectly fine to my ears. those who complain should’ve broaden your musical perspective and not just listen to typical pop songs.

  • http://twitter.com/JenaynayX Jenny

    I love I got a boy. I got used to the parts very quickly, and with the high level of performance dance and vocal wise, it was a nice change from SNSD’s usual concepts. To those who say the song is messy, search up the English translation of the song as it tells from a third person’s view at the start talking about how much the girl changed after having a bf, then to the girl’s point of view as she talks about having a boyfriend. Then its all gossiping kind of theme, as the 4th album concept is “girls gossip” or something similar to it then it goes to the frustrating side of the boyfriend when Tiffany wears that ugly wig and sings into the microphone. Maybe ppl who dislike the song are just antis who can’t accept the fact that It was pretty damn good and made perfect sense.
    I have listened to all the songs on the album and I am very pleased with it. Lost in Love, Romantic St, Baby maybe to name a few were the ones that stood out to me and are my faves. IGAB is a very good album in my opinion overall.

  • Erish

    If you’ve read the English translations, it wouldn’t look like such a big hot mess like it seemed to be. It would seem like a nicely made medley for a hip-hop dance routine (yeah, it doesn’t seem like one song – more like a medley of remixes). I like it. It’s certainly stuck in my head and I’ve been enjoying it after the initially-induced nausea.

  • a_chan

    2ne1 wears pants/dresses made out of sewn together stuffed animals…

  • a_chan

    I love this song. It’s even more experimental than Flower Power, which I thought was as far as SNSD would stray from a typical pop sound. They took a big risk and I absolutely love it. The right parts were given to the right members, everyone’s strengths were utilised and they covered eachother’s weaknesses. There are a lot of ideas to try and take in at once but once you get used to it, it ends up sounding brilliant. People will hate it at first but sooner or later they will come around.

    I don’t really agree about f(x) though. It suits their sound yes, but they aren’t strong enough performers to pull off this song. Especially Victoria and Sulli. Manber, Luna and Krystal have a hard enough time carrying their performances as it is. Put all these tempo changes in and half the amount of girls to do it and it will be a messsssssssss

  • Marhaebwa

    SM know how to cash cow hoes about dashing those adverts for ‘Genie’ and their perfume ‘Girl’ which probably smells like Febreeze but okay.

    Here’s praying for HOLYeon!

  • Marhaebwa

    Lol, no, no.
    Regardless if it sounds ‘shit’, as least they have courage and the ability to take that new direction (and do it rather damn well, thank you very much) that probably some of your faves are lacking….

    Right, stay pressed, please. Thank you.

  • FilmPuff

    I usually agree but this time… I mean yuck. It sucks so bad. Like, I finally realized the girls can dance and they do that to them. Only a few can sing, only a few can dance, very little have the chance of staying on top of the charts after SNSD so, this is like murder for me. This is not the kind of group you can experiment with. They are too many, with very different styles and personalities to put them in this hellish mix. Yoona gangsta? Sooyoung singing? Jessica or Tiffany dancing? Please.

  • Marhaebwa

    Haha, she was alright. She didn’t blow me away but I couldn’t fault her nevertheless. And she looked nice too.

  • Eater

    I usually agree with you but that that song is utter crap..

  • SNSD22

    they’re both shit…the fact that you think IGAB is significantly better is kinda delusional

  • SNSD22

    girl….sunny had a bear sweater choking her neck…

  • Back tp Basics please

    Comparing this to Biology was mistake one. And this is not innovative. K-pop has been versatile in song structure and bridge work forever. But GG’s attempts at successive bridges is all over the place. A song this simple does not need to be 5 minutes, and that’s why it’s not a grower for me. By the time I may start to give in to this ridiculous assault of bubble gum “hip hop”, I’m already wishing it was over. It’s too long and each section is just loud and over the top. This is not reinvention, this is not just something new, it’s disingenuous (relative to them)–and that’s saying a lot for the factory approach of K-pop. They’re high voices and constant Stepford girl smiling just can’t pull this off. 2ne1′s hip-hop/dance pop is much more fully realized and sophisticated in production, b/c that’s who they are and they’ve developed it over years. For GG, this is a passing fancy, and they are better than that. My initial comment may have been a little off from the teaser post now that I’ve heard the full thing, but the original sentiment is the same…GG needs to get back to being GG. Only their dancing can help them pull this charade off. Flower Power was innovative and a true growth of who they are, this is them trying to use their clout to get away with bullshit.

  • http://www.facebook.com/chibijoshie Josh Chinnery

    Funny, that’s exactly what I thought when I formed my opinion about this song XD If it was in english (and SM left the promotion to SNSD’s American label), I could see a bunch of cheer squads beating each other’s faces in just make a routine to this song.

  • http://www.facebook.com/chibijoshie Josh Chinnery

    I’d give the album a 4.5, not just this song. The album easily trumps The Boys and if it were in english (the entire album, not just the title track), it would definitely have a chance in the US.

    The song itself has a very unique and interesting concept, but it was executed in a very iffy fashion. I liked it a lot, but it seems like I’m a lot easier to please than a lot of people around here.

  • Marhaebwa

    LOL! I’m actually finished!
    It sounds like so many people want Proph’s head (and to an extent, SM ent’s) on a platter according to this thread.

    We got people saying that this is an off-review. We got people disappointed and (strongly) upset with SNSD(?). Heck, we got bitches giving their own reviews.

    So please, tell me people, who commented their own scores in, how it is fair and relevant that your scores matter when Proph’s doesn’t?
    Tbf, it’s a REVIEW. It’s how you VIEW the song, okay? Proph’s viewed it a 4.5/5. Other viewed it 2.5 and below. No one review is as relevant as the other. The problem is when people are attacking each other senselessly…C’mon, allkpop.com is waiting there for you to argue.

    And don’t come for me, or I’ll off your wig…

  • Mari

    Do yourself a favor and read the lyrics to ‘I Got A Boy’ while listening to the song and you will see just how well-made the song is.

    Do yourself a favor also and read this. http://kpopwhispers(.)tumblr(.)com/post/39397742027/i-got-a-boy This got too much relevance than seeing people trying to give professional criticisms and still butthurts at the end. :D DD

  • http://twitter.com/Myrmicinae Brendicienta

    Agree again, The Boys was lacking instrumentation, and the album songs were mostly mediocre and bad placed. IGAB is backed up by consistently good songs on the LP, all of them, while more conventional than the single, consistenly good, and none of them is a filler tbh.

  • chamber25

    Hodge-podging and getting parts from different songs don’t and cut and pasting together does not make a innovative song it just makes a franken-freaking mess of a song. Dude you suck if you are actually trying to sell this song as a 4.5, i know you’ve been munching on SNSD’s asses all year but come on.

  • http://twitter.com/Myrmicinae Brendicienta

    Same thing happend to “Gee” when it came out. Everybody hated it.

  • http://twitter.com/Myrmicinae Brendicienta

    I second that! I thought you were joking about them at first, but after seing there video and hearing their song, I realize they were really good, and a standout among all the 2012 rookies. If they keep up with that they can become really popular with time.

  • http://twitter.com/Myrmicinae Brendicienta

    I would love that to happen! I loved to pieces their japanese stuff, and i`m so pleasently surprised with this korean release.

  • http://www.facebook.com/chibijoshie Josh Chinnery

    The Boys was actually my first exposure to SNSD and they had me hook, line, and sinker. I saw them as a group of sassy and confident women and I loved every second of it. Then, I saw everyone else’s reaction to and almost laughed at the irony.

  • http://twitter.com/Uranium222 Uranium

    The rating 4.5 given was for the song. The album has some amazing songs though but I Got a Boy is not one of them. The song is clearly a mess and 4.5 is just too high.

    I always had high regards to theprophetblog on his reviews but I think his judgement was really clouded by him being a SONE. The song is just a little bit above average.

    Just so you know, prophetblog rated Sistar’s Alone as 4.25. And that song is in consensus judged as an epitome of perfection plus Sistar have a genuine rapper with them.

  • taeha2801

    FML… IGAB is plain and simple? are you kidding me?

  • http://twitter.com/Myrmicinae Brendicienta

    Cool to know! The Boys honestly shocked me, and while I loved the verses and the adlibs, the chorus never hooked me (the MV is another story of course, because it had one of their best choreos to date). On the other hand, I genuinely loved every single second of this one. Regarding the IGAB album, its the second time I like all the songs on a SNSD album (their 1st japan album being the first time). But its so crazy the amount of hate this one is receiving. You know everybody hated “Gee” when it came out at first?

  • http://twitter.com/Myrmicinae Brendicienta

    He´s not a sone, he´s a Brown Eyed Girls stan

  • JammySmoochie

    What I meant was the song is bad. Plain and simple. Get it now?

  • javieRaloud

    Oh Dahling, don’t dare you to compare this with the fabulous kweens Girls Aloud.

  • MrsTOP

    The song is sh*t, There is no other word to describe it but sh*t. They are trying to be cool but it comes across as try hard. It is like four different songs in one and it doesn’t know what it wants to be. it is already the worst song i have heard this year. it is also their worst title song. i cannot believe that the supposed top girl group of korea release a song as garbage as this. The only good part is ‘i got a boy’ chorus segment.

    1/5 for me.

  • http://twitter.com/#!/shahirashera Shahirashera

    It’s kinda funny how this song & its mv solely can get such a high point from you but when I check your review for Block B album, that rare germ released from last year, you only gave them like what? 3++ something? Just.. wow.

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