SHINee "Don't Call Me - The 7th Album" First Listen

Usually when I first listen to an album I make a thread about it on twitter, but since I have this account it would make more sense to just organise my thoughts here!

I'm going to be following the same "rules" I set myself when I make first listen threads: listen through each song on the album in order, write my thoughts on the song within the length of the song's runtime, rank my top 3 tracks  just from this first listen and then wrap up with my final thoughts on the album as a whole.

That's a lot of perhaps over-explaining, so let's just get into it!!

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Don't Call Me - What a title track to comeback with after such a long hiatus!! There's a sense of something like a recaptured tragedy to the song to match the concept of a break up song. Instead of getting the perspective of someone constantly calling an ex to rekindle a lost relationship, we get the other side, and get to see an angrier, perhaps even more grounded side of the equation. In this track, SHINee does away with the yearning of a lost love and makes it clear that this is the end, which is something we don't see much of, if at all in break up songs. The song and arrangement fits so perfectly well with the current SM sound and the current, heavily hip hop influenced titles that most 3rd and 4th gen boy groups are releasing now. The best thing about "Don't Call Me" is that while it fits into the new sound of the industry, it still stands out as something distinctly SHINee. Key's adlibs are as cool and as familiar as ever, paired with Minho's whispered lines (a la "Odd Eye") and distinctive tone, Taemin's working double time to capture the cold feeling of the lyrics with the little bit of rapping he does alongside his sung lines, and Onew's voice coming in to perfectly accent and bring everything together, especially with his isolated line in the bridge, all come together to make yet another perfect SHINee title track. 


Heart Attack - If the title track was SHINee's version of the current sound of kpop, then "Heart Attack" is a track that sits comfortably in what makes SHINee SHINee. The switch up from the from the slow jam intro into the retro inspired groove of the rest of the song is something distinctly SHINee, and for me felt very reminiscent of the concept for "1of1" and some of the tracks on "The Story of Light". Onew and Key really shine in this track, their voices feel the most at home in fun, funky drive of the arrangement. 

Marry You - I'm counting this track as a pre-release since it was performed during their comeback special. Obviously with the studio release you get a better sense of what it actually sounds like, and once again SHINee does not disappoint. During the comeback special, the track felt heavily influenced by caribbean reggae, maybe even soca (the latter I'm more familiar with since it's the music from where my family is from), just by going off the rhythm of Key and Minho's rapping. With the studio version, you're able really hear that relaxed yet heavy bass beat the drives the song. After listening through, I would say that SHINee perfectly understands what makes up a song of this genre; they aren't just using the concept to sound different or stand out like a lot of other artist do when they borrow different genres. There is an understanding and sort of respect that comes with the entire arrangement, from the bassline and hi-hat hits to the vocals, that, as someone who is intimately familiar with this genre, I really appreciate. The stars of this track are absolutely Minho and Key, with their mastery of the very distinct flow and rhythm that comes with doing a song in this style. Taemin and Onew's bright vocals, particularly their crisp, rolling falsetto on the bridge, contrasts the others so well, creating yet another perfectly balanced track. SHINee confirmed that this was a continuation of the story that "Replay" and "I Want You" create so it would be interesting to listen to all three in order. 

CØDE - Maybe this is just me speaking as a Locket, but there's just something about Key speaking at the start of a track that does something for me! I'm a big fan of songs that have an almost video game ost feel to them, and "CØDE" definitely hits that spot for me. It's another track that definitely fits into the new SM sound, it in fact reminds me a lot of NCT's "Superhuman"  but there's a more refined sound to it. (Not to say "Supernhuman" is lacking in anyway, just that there's something crisper and cleaner about "CØDE" to me) Taemin. maybe because of his time in SuperM, sounds so comfortable on this track. Onew's falsetto and tenor in this song is truly a gift. It contrasts with the staccato of the EDM influenced beat in a way that I think fits perfectly, and is what I enjoy the most about tracks like this!

I Really Want You - The guitar riff in the intro of this song is something so special! The track is fun and bright, incredibly indicative of SHINee's sound at its core in my opinion. There is a joy that comes with the yearning that the lyrics convey, a happiness to confess your feelings and to make your heart understood by the person who holds your affections. The almost seductive tone of Taemin's lines stick out the most for me in this track. They're fun and teasing more than anything, especially as they bleed into the brighter rhythm of the chorus. "I Really Want You" is simply just a fun song! 

Kiss Kiss - In the same way that I love electronic tracks, I adore slow jam tracks. "Kiss Kiss" is everything I love; a clean, classic bassline, accompanied by a great guitar riff and amazing vocal arrangement to round off another retro inspired track. Everything works together to create a fun, seductive track, but for me the vocal arrangement is what I love the most about this song. The arrangement of the hook is so good, the languid flow of the vocals fits the concept of the song perfectly. Minho and Key's pre chorus has to be my favourite part of this track. There's an almost gentle quality to this part of the song that really vibes, and sets up the chorus perfectly. Onew's adlibs in the final hook really drive home the desire the song is trying to convey. Putting in the sound of lips kissing at the end of the chorus and hook is ingenious and something so SHINee of them to do! It's insane how after being around this long that they're able to continue to be so inventive with their arrangements. Or maybe it's because they've been around this long that they're so good at it. Either way very grateful. 

Body Rhythm - Another caribbean inspired song, what a surprise! If "Marry You" understood the rhythm and musicality of this genre, then "Body Rhythm" understands the flow and vocal arrangement. The beat/backing track is much more, for lack of a better word, cliche or common, like what you'd think of if you heard any soca track but that doesn't in anyway take away from the quality of the song. The most important parts of this genre are the bass and the lyrical flow, and SHINee do a great job of capturing that in the chorus and hook, while putting their own spin on it. I think Key and MInho more so than Onew and Taemin, but only because they're rapping and playing with the distinct rhythm/flow of the genre more. Minho's verse in the second chorus makes me Furious in the way he perfectly gets the distinct way that soca singer ride the beat. He is the star of this song for me! Taemin and Onew shine the most in the hook and the bridge, where they capture the relaxed feel of the usual vocals you hear with this style. 

Attention - This is the perfect track for me; a perfect mix of the slow jam and the electronic influenced beat that I mentioned before. The staccato, bass heavy beat paired with a flowing vocal arrangement is what I really gravitate towards. The contrast in the  rhythm/arrangement between the chorus and hook, and the verses is my favourite part of any  song like this, and SHINee really delivers here. My favourite part of any song is usually the bridge, and this one may be my favourite on the entire album. The way Onew's voice matches with the change in beat and bleeds into his adlibs on the final pre-chrous is something I want to have played on repeat. 

Kind - SHINee tend to have the final songs on their albums be slower tracks with a more ballad feeling (if not just a full ballad) and "Kind" is no exception. The bit of autotune on the vocals gives the track an almost haunting quality. "Kind" feels like a liminal space, something that exists outside of time, and in the terms of this albums, something that fits outside of this album. There's a healing, calming feeling to the song, the perfect ending to the album. Like a farewell at the end of a long day.

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Top Three Tracks 
 1) Attention
 2) Kiss Kiss
 3) Kind

Honourable Mention: Heart Attack 

"Heart Attack" is so perfectly SHINee and hits all the fun Shawol parts of my brain but
there is just something about the groove of "Attention",
the feel of "Kiss Kiss",
and the mood of "Kind" that is unbeatable for me.

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Final Thoughts

"Don't Call Me" is such an incredibly solid album, not like we would expect anything else from SHINee at this point in their career. 

They completely understand what makes them SHINee, what works best for their voices and are able to continuously play to their strengths. Not a single track, even with the new genres that they explore, is lacking or feels out of place in the discography of SHINee as a whole. 

I will say that I was surprised hearing "Marry You" and "Body Rhythm" since those tracks heavily borrow from caribbean music, but in my opinion it feels like SHINee understood what makes that genre sound the way it does, what those kind of sounds are about and how to best utilise those elements in a way that works with their sound. I think that they were more successful in "Marry You" but neither song sounds gimmicky like a lot of other kpop tracks that do the same.

Overall, "Don't Call Me" perfectly reintroduces SHINee to this generation of kpop and once again solidifies their place at the top as the Princes of Kpop.