'structure is everything'

Regular-Irregular; NCT127

[mini album review]

[reworked from 2018]

Best songs: Knock On, Interlude, My Van, Regular (English version)

Would i listen to it again? only in full

Rate: 8/10

When I wrote this back in 2018, I got a lot of heat for saying it was the best boy group album SM put out that year. "Oh but Steph what about EXO? What about SHINEE?" You see, an album is not just about how good the individual songs are. If it was purely a contest of who had better songs, both SHINEE and EXO would win. But Regular-Irregular had creative structure transformed by the 'interlude', which made the album a holistic experience.

Let's begin with the not so good stuff. My main criticism is that the vocal heavy songs would fit other SM vocalists better. However, the NCT members were still only 2 years into their career when this was released. I can understand their vocals not being as up to par as their seniors. 'No Longer' had a lot of potential to be really emotive and powerful, but the vocalists just couldn't take it all the way. I kept saying to myself "just a little more, a little bit more" but it never took me there. I had a similar feelings with BTS' 'ON'. all the elements were there, it just didn't take me there.

The album's biggest strength is its structure. It has a nice development by starting with airy/piano-centred music in the first half with a focus on vocals (see: 'Knock On' and 'No Longer'). It's actually uncommon to have so many slow songs near the beginning in a kpop album. The tracks are simple but they do what needs to be done.

Then the shift happens.

'Interlude: Regular to Irregular' is the centrepiece of the album. The dramatic orchestral strings play as the members speak their native tongue. The second half of the interlude is distorted or "irregular". From that point on, the album is more obscure in sound and structure, with more emphasis on rap (see: 'My Van'). The vocal heavy songs are grounded and grittier that the lighter 'Knock On' in the first half (see: 'Come Back' and 'Fly Away With Me'). Why? Because the interlude acts as a transporter into the next part of the album. Hence why the interlude itself goes from "regular" to "irregular". The name of the album directs it's flow.

final comments

Unlike most SM groups nowadays (2018), this album told a story. Even if the songs aren't suited to primed and cultivated tastes of SM enjoyers, I will always appreciate a body of work that considers the importance of structure and it's use in communicating a journey. Structure is everything.