#feature spotlight

Hello, loves!! My name is Jace (aka Felicity B), and I owe you guys an explanation. Not only is this late, but it's not the FSL I promised y'all. If you saw my Twitter Thread last night, then you'd know that this week was just Bad Timing™ (along with the poorest of time management) personified. I started feelin' my oats a little *too* much, and decided that I should two reviews for next week (which are done, they just need to be edited and have gifs added), not grasping that I had about 30 videos sitting in the playlist for the last RRU to review. And on top of that, I picked out the songs for the Contemporary ver.2 FSL that was supposed to happen today (well, yesterday), but just didn't have the energy to arrange them in a playlist. And because the universe loves to fuck with me, I had work on Thursday and Friday, so by the time I got home, I just did not feel like doing anything.

Suffice to say that this week was some Grade A Bullshit™.

But today is a new day, and this is not my usual Feature Spotlight!! This was something I was gonna put out after I finished the SHINee Era Spotlights series (not immediately, but sometime in the next couple of months), but since I needed something for this week, I guess we're doing it now.

Today, we'll be counting down my top ten favorite SHINee feature tracks!! And I use "top ten" very loosely here; this ordering, outside of the top three, changes around based on my musical mood of the moment. But I did want to spotlight my favorite SHINee feature tracks, so here they are!!

10. Ring Ding Dong

Ring Ding Dong is the type of song that you either love, or can't listen to without laughing your ass off. I know the first time I listened to it, I cackled like a banshee.

Am still prone to cackle as I listen, but that's because this song just makes me so happy.

But Ring Ding Dong, like much of the K-Pop songs that were trending at the time, grows on you. There's an element of seriousness here that makes this song come of as ridiculous, but that's part of the fun. Ring Ding Dong is fairly self-aware, sis; it knows it's being way more serious and over the top than it truly needs to be, but she's a lil shameless (like me!!). And let's be real - we all need a song like this in our lives. Something that's Really Freaking Good™, but also Really Freaking Silly™.

9. Married to the Music

SHE'S FUNKY!!

Married to the Music came after a period of SHINee's career where they did some very serious experimentation with their sound. SHINee has never really stuck to one particular sound in career, but we all know that don't nobody do RnB n Funk in K-Pop quite like the SHINee Five™. Your faves wished they could lace a RnB beat with the hot fire that SHINee does, but that's neither here nor there. My point is that Married to the Music was a reassurance; it was SHINee letting us know that even though they've driven farther left field than they've ever gone with Odd (they drove right off a damn cliff, girl), that they haven't lost their magic touch.

They can still have us all bald and crying to a Funk soundtrack like it's nothing.

Simply put, Married to the Music is just SHINee doing SHINee, sis. This is SHINee on autopilot, and I'd be saying that with derision if this was any other group, but SHINee has never given less than 100%. It's beautiful.

8. 1of1

I really need to know why SM took so long to come through with the New Jack Swing. SHINee have all our faves habitually pressed that they'll never do RnB n Funk as well as the SHINee Five™ since debut, Odd showed that these boys do Deep House amazing, and there's honestly something so fucking '90s about SHINee. About all of SM's boy bands, tbh. But I just need to know why I had to wait almost four years for a New Jack Swing track, and how much I'll be paid in emotional damages. Thank you!!

1of1 is magical, folks. 1of1 is Unapologetic Joy™ in a song, ladies. 1of1 is backed by a 100% money back guarantee!! You'll definitely feel better after listening to this song, and if you don't, its because you don't like New Jack Swing.

Which is fine!! I don't know what it's like to hate everything good in this world, but do you, boo!!

Joking aside, I knew SHINee weren't gonna let me down with 1of1. I knew, in my soul, that they were gonna give me hotness. And they DELIVERT!! I don't know what else to say, guys. SHINee fucking delivered with 1of1. This song makes me wanna cry with how good it is, sometimes.

I might even be bold enough to play 1of1 at the cookout one good time. Now that's true love, folks.

7. View

I don't know why SHINee doing Deep House was such a strange concept to me. Like I said above, SHINee practically embody the '90s, and Deep House (along with New Jack Swing) encompass '90s music to a T. There was just something so alien about the idea, because it was just so new. Deep House isn't a genre I'd heard in K-Pop before View (still isn't something I hear a lot of), so I suppose I just didn't have any basis for it.

But chile... Never let a bitch doubt that SHINee will deliver hotness. They'll snatch your whole ass family as restitution.

View was very new for SHINee, but these niggas really dropped that shit on us like they'd been doin' Deep House their entire career. What's an RnB?!?!!? Who is Funk?!?!?! Ain't that the name of a dish detergent!?!?!?! That was SHINee unleashing View on our asses.

Girl, I half expected Kibum to start voguing on my ass!! That's how well they bodied View. And that's what I love the most about SHINee - their commitment to their craft. They don't E V A H deliver anything less than 100%. It's just not in their blood. They are physically incapable. If post-2014 K-Pop wasn't all about them production values, I'm sure I'd fool people into thinking View was made in 1996. She's that powerful, sis.

6. Why So Serious

Somebody's going to mad this is on this list. But their wig is dusty, so a bitch doesn't give a fuck.

Why So Serious divided Shawols right down the middle, babies. 2013 must have been the Year of the Troll, because SM did this shit to EXO with Wolf and to SNSD with I Got A Boy, too. Had everybody's fandoms mad as hell at this foolery!! Why So Serious didn't just take the cake, tho; she bought the cake, and then stole it from ha own house. So many people outright H A T E D this song, and I really can't blame them. To this day, there are still parts of this song that make me go ???.

But guess who's triflin' ass still plays this shit like she'd die if she didn't?!?!?!

Why So Serious takes SHINee's Funk sensibilities and marries them to a musical theater backdrop. And that's exactly why I love ha. The song does too fuckin' much with all the electric guitars, MIDI horns, and random as fuck all key changes, but I would absolutely love to see this performed as a big opening number in a Broadway show. I don't even know what this hypothetical musical would be about, I know just I want SHINee, surrounded by 50 chorus members and backup dancers, performing the absolute shit out of Why So Serious. Y'all can't tell me that wouldn't be epic.

5. Dream Girl

2013, along with being Year of the Troll, was also Year of the Bop. A lot of people hated K-Pop that year because of the rampant musical experimentation, but 2013 yielded quite a few of my favorite K-Pop songs. One of which is Dream Girl.

Dream Girl was interesting, because it took SHINee's Funk sensibilities and married them to an EDM backdrop (quite like what Why So Serious did, except more mainstream). And granted, that's a sound we've heard quite a bit in western pop around 2009-2011, but a bitch does not care!! She don't!! Dream Girl is musical crack!!

Dream Girl is the type of song you play to get a party jump started. Dream Girl is the type of song people go crazy watching live, because the energy is just amazing. Dream Girl is an example of taking a formula that works, and improving upon on it. You're staying in your lane, but you upgraded from a Honda to a Lexus, boo boo!! We appreciate!!

Especially the fucking bridge. What is it about 7th chords that make them produce the Happy Brain Tingles™?!?!?! I'd write whole ass songs with chord progressions that consist of the just 7th chords, because they sound so freaking good!! And y'all can talk crap about my mans, Choi Minho, all you want, but his voice is Magical™.

#AppreciateAllBaritones

4. Lucifer

Oh Lucifer...

See, we knew SHINee was That Group™ before Lucifer, because they blasted onto the scene with amazing sync and nothin' but Bops™. But Lucifer was the confirmation, sis. Lucifer was SHINee tellin' our faves to bow down. Lucifer was the beginning of The SHINee Takeover™.

Lucifer, like Ring Ding Dong, is an electro song takes itself very seriously. But that's where the similarities end. Lucifer is all business, but that's okay - you and your wig are still blown away. This song must be ridiculously fun to perform, because a) absolutely N O O N E was ready for that choreography and b) the chorus harmonies makes a bitch feel like she's flying.

Said harmonies are covered in so much autotune, a bitch feels like she's choking on that shit, but Lord knows that foolery is just a style choice. No one could escape being autotuned to death in K-Pop circa 2009 - 2012, but SHINee don't need no autotune for no damn harmonies!!

Lucifer is just a damn good song, y'all. I wouldn't describe this as fun, like I would Ring Ding Dong or Dream Girl, but catch me playin' this right after Ring Ding Dong at my next party.

3. Love Like Oxygen

Gurl... The first time I heard Love Like Oxygen, I whole ass screamed. I knew SHINee were no stranger to some MJ style Funk, but they whole ass snatched that man's weave right out his grave!!

Disrespectful!!

Love Like Oxygen is the second half of SHINee's origin story, kids. I'm always talmbout how they're the K-Pop Kings of Funk, and Love Like Oxygen is how the title was bestowed upon them. There's nothing else for me say. Love Like Oxygen, like Replay and RnB, is the first of many Funk songs in SHINee's discography that me shakin' and cryin' for more.

2. Sherlock (Clue+Note)

Oh look, it's my first SHINee song!! Well, first SHINee song as a K-Pop fan.

BUT THAT'S IRRELEVANT!! SHERLOCK IS MY FIRST ~OFFICIAL~ SHINEE SONG!!

Sherlock is that MJ style Funk, again. Y'all can be mad as hell at me for always bringing it up, but sis... She's a '90s Gay!! MJ (and Funk, in general) were a major part of my childhood; Funk and RnB songs are always gonna stand out to me. Hell, there were the reason I stayed bein' a K-Pop fan. But anyway, Sherlock is that MJ style Funk, but with a far more aggressive pulse. She's another song for the party playlists, babies. She's not gonna get your party hoppin' like Lucifer or Ring Ding Dong would, but she'll keep the dance floor busy.

At release, SM described Sherlock as a ~hybrid remix~ (basically their fancy way of saying a mashup) of the songs Clue and Note (Hence the Clue+Note in the title). And while Sherlock is indeed a mashup, neither Clue nor Note stand on their own. I definitely commend SM for attempting something new, but this mashup (sorry, hybrid remix) business definitely fell flat for me.

1. Replay

Yes babies, she's gonna be That Bitch™, today.

Replay, the first half of SHINee's origin story (aka debut), is *my* favorite SHINee feature track, because I just really love this style of RnB. That's it, sis. I mean, SHINee's swagger also makes the song (along with their harmonies, albeit a little underdeveloped at that point), but it all comes back to the song. Replay is a fuckin' bop. Replay isn't gonna be lightin' up anybody's party, but she's fun and that's all I need her to be.

Replay also reminds me of the era of K-Pop when everyone wasn't always focused on doing a shit ton of variety and reality shows. Because sis, I swear fandom cares more about that than the actual musical output of faves these days. And I mean, there's nothing wrong with liking content from your faves, but... Why are they a K-Pop group if they don't release music?!?!? Or rather, their focus isn't to release music.

Alright babies, that's it for this week's Feature Spotlight!! I will most definitely have the Contemporary ver.2 Era Feature Spotlight up for you guys next Friday at 6pm EST, along with my double review on Monday, and my Review Roundup on Wednesday at 6pm!! Once again, I'm so so S O sorry that this was not only delayed but also not what I promised, but I will do better next week.

Love, you guys!!

Spoiler (Misconceptions of You ~Dream Girl~)

Gurl... SHINee was not fuckin' around with us with Spoiler.

Spoiler is a song that Jonghyun wrote incorporating all the song titles from the Misconceptions series in the lyrics. And sis, I was like, "This is cute, or whatevahs!!" when he spoiled the tracklisting for Misconceptions of You, but when Misconceptions of Me dropped and we found out he spoiled that too?!?!?! My wig wasn't just lopsided, she was free floating in space.

SHINee really fucking Did That™ with Spoiler, sis.

Spoiler sounds like someone took Sherlock, and turned her into a vampire. Spoiler is Sherlock's darker and more seductive older sister. It's kind of interesting how they kicked off the Misconceptions series with Spoiler, a song that starts out like their previous title track, but with a dark twist. It's almost like they were making a statement, sis. This SHINee is New and Improved™ SHINee. This SHINee is Upgraded™ SHINee. SHINee 2.0, if you will. We snatched you with RnB/Funk, we snatched you with EDM, and now we're gonna snatch you with both. Enjoy!!

Symptoms (Everybody)

I imagine sex feels like what listening to this song feels like.

Symptoms is an eletro-RnB song that sounds like it was snatched right from the Billboard Top 40. Which doesn't surprise me, because it was produced by the Underdogs (who also produced EXO's Overdose, another song that's dripping in that Top 40 sound from the time). Symptoms is a song that starts out loud and proud; it gives you Drama™, and it gives zero fucks about it. She looks at you without a care in the world and says, "My name is Symptoms, what did you expect!?!?! A cutesy pop track?!?!?! Boi, if you don't get!!"

And mind you, that's what I love about ha.

I fucking love a SHINee song that gives us all the bells and whistles, because they really don't have to. Look at Odd Eye - she's as stripped back as it gets for RnB midtempos, but SHINee still Shine Bright Like A Diamond!! But here's the thing - these dramatic ass niggas love songs like these. You can't tell me these SHINee boys don't love a beat with all the bells and whistles; the way they always come correct on songs like these says it all.

Become Undone (FIVE)

Speaking of songs that lack bells and whistles, Become Undone is not one of them. You'd have to be a Fool™ to think a song titled Become Undone on a Japanese record could be a toned down track.

These types of songs are usually the most dramatic.

Become Undone is an angsty song. She's a song I can see playing during a scene where an anime protagonist has to make an extremely hard decision. Like, intentionally stepping into a trap to save your friends, or deciding between saving your loved ones or the world (don't look at me like that, you guys have seen Sailor Moon).

The main star of the show here is the chorus. That's true of most pop songs, but especially so for Become Undone. She features The SHINee Specialty™ (their ridiculous ability to blend their harmonies together like fuckin' buttah), the trap beats presented in the verse kicked up 10,000 for Maximum Drama™, and orchestral stabs that tie everything together. Become Undone has one of the most emotionally satisfying choruses I've heard in a pop song. Sis, I'm literally the INTENSIFIES meme listening to this song, it's just so good.

I'm really glad that groups like SHINee have had the pleasure of working with a Japanese team to release music in Japan, because it allows them to play with their sound in a way that they can't in Korea. And that's not to say that SHINee haven't played with their sound in Korea (this FSL is literally on the era they experimented with their sound the most), but there's certain sounds and textures that are specifically J-Pop in feel, and it's really cool to see a group like SHINee tap into that.

Orgel (Misconceptions of Me ~Why So Serious~)

Okay sis, now we're actually bringing it down a notch. Not for long, but I figured y'all could use a break, even if it's short lived.

Orgel is a song that's quite similar to Odd Eye in the fact that it's SHINee driving the song with their vocal performance, and the beat is going along for the ride. Orgel also features a melody that sounds like a something you'd hear in a music box, and while that motif is quite overused in pop music, it doesn't make Orgel feel played out. It's just a really pretty song from five really pretty boys.

Orgel is a really neat song, because even though SHINee are driving the song with their voice, they're really not doing a whole lot on the beat. Their vocal performance on Orgel is subtle in the same way the beat is (or rather, as subtle as these boys get), but they still stand out. It's an interesting experience, sis.

Queen of New York (Everybody)

Now this is A Song™, sis.

Queen of New York feels very lounge cafe, sis; she's very "let me sip my expensive coffee drink while I read the latest copy of Cosmo or OK! Magazine". Queen of New York is also very much something the drag queens are voguing to at the local gay club. Miss Queen of New York is a woman of many moods, okay?!?!?!

Queen of New York was a very fun surprise, because I don't think anyone was expecting a song quite like this on the Everbody mini album. She's very edgy, but in a way that you don't expect songs described as "edgy" to sound. Queen of New York has a very polished feel to her, but there's a dirtiness to her that you can't tame. She's a proper Upper Middle Side woman, but she's not afraid to take a walk on the wild side. She's not afraid to show you how to get down, and I just love that so much.

One Minute Back (Everybody)

This is also A Song™, babes.

One Minute Back is grungy, sis. She's not a proper Upper Middle Side woman, she's a punk rock/biker girl with a flair for the dramatic. Ain't nothin' polished here, ladies!! Well, SHINee's vocals are pretty polished, but that's a given. I've never heard a SHINee song where the vocals weren't produced to a T.

But despite that, Ms One Minute Back and Ms Queen of New York are happily married!!

One Minute Back, like Queen of New York, was a song I was pleasantly surprised to hear on Everybody. One Minute back has such grungy verses, but then the chorus and the bridge are so Funky and so SHINee. BUT THE TWO DIFFERENT VIBES BLEND TOGETHER LIKE IT'S NOTHING!! It's such an aurally pleasing experience, you guys!! The reason I compared One Minute Back to Queen of New Year is that they're both marry these two moods to amazing results. I mean, Queen of New York doesn't fully commit to the grunginess, but there's enough of it lying below the surface that it's worth mentioning.

ABOAB (FIVE)

Ms ABOAB is a Bad Bitch™. She's a Boss Bitch™. She has no time for your games, boo. Ms ABOAB is a brazen ElectroFunk number that makes no apologizes.

If SHINee wanted to make a record like Everybody for the Japanese market, ABOAB would have been the title track/lead single. Miss ABOAB is spicy. She's seductive. Miss ABOAB is full on club bounce, and I McFucking L O V E when SHINee do those kinds of songs. There's just something so sexy about them working that club vibe, sis. I lowkey wasn't ready for ABOAB, but she really didn't care. She mesmerizes with the way she flits between emphasizing her Funk and Electro elements.

And that damn drop with the horn line... BITCH!! My wig has been compromised.

Runaway (Misconceptions of You ~Dream Girl~)

Runaway is another ElectroFunk track, but brighter and poppier in a way that contrasts ABOAB quite nicely. It's no less fun and club ready, tho.

Runaway is mainly driven by a punchy synth stab and SHINee's very fun usage of their vocal harmonies. While Miss ABOAB would whip ha weave in ya face if you ever tried to talk to her, Miss Runaway would make silly faces at you and coax you into doing silly dances. I, always and forever, wanna see SHINee in concert, but I especially wanna see Runaway and ABOAB performed live, because they always do these types of club ready tracks Just Right™.

Hitchhiker (Misconceptions of You ~Dream Girl~)

Because God Knows^™ these boys can't not give us a track that channels the very essence of MJ and his weave.

If Spoiler was too gimmicky of a sequel to Sherlock for you, then Hitchhiker is your song. Hitchhiker, to me, sounds like the perfect representation of this era in SHINee's discography - let's take what we already do well and marry it to a whole new palette of song styles/textures, and see what sticks.

And lemme tell you somethin' - Hitchhiker sticks like fucking glue. Remember what I said about SHINee loving the bells and whistles that comes with doing over the top songs?!?!?! That's in full effect here, sis. Hitchhiker is anthemic as all fuck, and these boys ride that beat like they were made for it. And to be completely, I have no doubt in my mind that they were.

Nothing to Lose (FIVE)

So who else was expecting to get something hella grungy like Natalia Kills' Break You Hard or Seventeen's Clap with how hard that guitar was filtered?!?!?! I can't be the only one here.

Nothing to Lose bait and switches us with that dark n grungy guitar riff, because the majority of the song is rather bright n poppy. But I really can't be mad, because I rather liked the way they transitioned the darker sections into the brighter ones. And Nothing to Lose is pure octane fun. It's kind of a hard song to hate, because it gives zero fucks about how cutesy and cheesy it is.

There's also a rather nice helping of Funk thrown into the mix, but I'm gonna pretend that that had nothing to do with much I like this song. Even though it's what makes me like it the most.

Punch Drunk Love (Misconceptions of You ~Dream Girl~)

Punch Drunk Love channels Love Like Oxygen like SHINee's producers were in the studio intentionally trying to produce a sequel to the song. And if you know anything about me, you know that Love Like Oxygen is literal auditory C R A C K for my black ass. Punch Drunk Love also sounds like SHINee's writers held a seance and channeled MJ's spirit when they were writing the song for the boys.

And y'all already K N O W I'm here for that shit.

Punch Drunk Love is the SHINee Five™ on autopilot, sis. SHINee will never not know how to come correct with a Funk song, and it warms my heart. The attitude, the harmonies (THE BUMBACLOT HARMONIES), the overall feel of the song; SHINee gets it right. If you ever needed a pickmeup, then put on SHINee's Punch Drunk Love, and thank me later. This is another song that is unabashedly cheesy, but gives absolutely zero fucks about it.

Isn't it beautiful!?!?!?

Evil (Misconceptions of Me ~Why So Serious~)

Evil can be summed by in two words - Drama and Killer Harmonies.

That's technically three, but you know what the fuck I meant.

Evil is SHINee at their most dramatic. I remember Shawols losing their collective minds at the fancams from the concert performances where they wore blindfolds.

Yes, you read that correctly. These dramatic ass motherfuckers were performing on stage with blindfolds on. They were, more than likely, see through blindfolds, but never doubt SHINee's collective love of the Drama™. They absolutely would dance completely blindfolded.

Evil starts out slow, but I very much doubt that many of us thought the song was gonna stay that way; SHINee were just building the atmosphere (read - creating the perfect environment to torch our weaves). Evil has an almost musical theater vibe to it, except not nearly as cheesy. Evil is honestly a one of a kind experience that we all need in our lives at some point.

Especially because SHINee were on their harmonic A game the day they recorded Evil. When the drums drop out and it's just the orchestral stabs with their voices?!?!? Fuckin' magic, ladies.

Like A Fire (Misconceptions of Me ~Why So Serious~)

We all Know™ Like A Fire, because of that one performance where Jonghyun, Kibum, and Jinki were having a contest to see whom tf could be the most extra (to be honest, I'd say Kibum won, based purely on the fact that I didn't even know he could wail like that). But Like A Fire stands firm on her own by being a wickedly good Funk song.

(Sidenote - I'm about 90% this list has more Funk tracks than my '90s 5HINee FSL, and I want you all know that that was not on purpose. I wont be changing it, but I swear it wasn't done purposefully!!)

Like A Fire, like Punch Drunk Love, is SHINee on autopilot. I don't know what else to say about this song. It's just so Classic SHINee™, sis!! The verses have a more somber, minor tone to them, but the choruses transition (maybe that's a modulation, I'm not Musically Advanced™ enough to make that call) into a killer major groove that is just so beautiful to listen to. I don't know anyone who doesn't like this song. Liking Like A Fire is a requirement for being a Shawol (especially a Shawol of color). If you don't like Like A Fire, you're invalid.

I need to say something about these harmonies and ad libs, tho. Did the producer of Like A Fire tell the SHINee Boys™ to go HAM the day they were laying down tracks for Like A Fire?!?!?! Did they mean for the harmonies and ad libs to get this over the top!?!?! I'm not complaining, I just wanna know. Because the harmonies and ad libs, especially, are so ridiculous!! I love every second of it, but sometimes it K I L L S how extra this song is!!

Diamond Sky (FIVE)

The first time I ever listened to this song, I cackled like a banshee at how extra that intro was, because it's so SHINee. It's so dramatic, and it suits SHINee to a T. I was expecting the verses to be some Final Dragon type shit, or somethin'!!!

Diamond Sky is pretty standard fare for a J-Pop song, imo. It doesn't stop me from loving SHINee's take on it (and it shouldn't stop you), but it's worth mentioning; SHINee + J-Pop = Love. Like I mentioned above, I'm glad that SHINee were able to continue releasing music in Japan, because this is a style of music that suits them well, but would not do well in Korea at all.

Diamond Sky feels like the theme song for a magical girl anime. The twinkly pianos, complemented by the strings and electric guitar give it an air of grandiosity that would have made it a perfect theme or insert song for Sailor Moon. If they had added a modulation at the end for Maximum Drama™, I'd have lost my shit.

Close the Door (Everybody)

Firstly, if you haven't watched the SHINee World IV performance where Jinki tap dances to Close the Door, I'm judging you. Our sweet dubu leader did not bless us with such beauty and grace for you to ignore it!!

Secondly, Close the Door is the cheesiest love song I've ever encountered in K-Pop. It's got the romantic sounding keys, the strings, it's in 6/8 time (perfect for a waltz, babies), the lyrics are so sugary sweet, and the chord progressions utilize mostly major chords. And you know what, I absolutely fucking love it. I'm a cheesy Romantic Gay™, and I fucking love this cheesy ass love song. It's just so aurally pleasing, especially since these SHINee boys all have voices that blend together amazingly when they harmonize. Sue me.

Sleepless Night (Misconceptions of Me ~Why So Serious~)

SHINee ballads are a wonderful, amazing thing, you know?!?!? Especially when they don't give us the typical classical ballad, but go a little left field into something jazzy or RnB. Which is what they do with Sleepless Night.

This week's playlist features a lot of songs that are extremely over the top, sis. And I mean, we've discussed this; these SHINee boys love the drama of it all. But they also love lowkey songs like Sleepless Night. You'd be able to tell if they didn't with a song this stripped back and bare. Sleepless Night is literally the SHINee boys (and their amazing harmonies), a piano, and some strings. And it's fucking amazing. There are quite a few songs from SHINee that I want to experience live, but I think Sleepless Night tops the list. Well, that and Wish Upon A Star, but I'm sure I'd cry my fucking eyes out listening to that. I mean, I might cry my eyes out to Sleepless Night, but there's less of a chance there.

I've accepted that I'm a boring bitch who lives for a good ballad (the amount of ballads I've had to listen to for my RRUs has definitely proven this), but there's nothing quite like a good SHINee ballad, sis. There ain't never been a SHINee ballad that I didn't like.

And that's all for this week's list, loves!! Please tune in next week for the next era in my SHINee Spotlight series, Contemporary SHINee ver.2!! And don't forget to tune in Wednesday for my next Review Roundup, featuring songs released this week!!

Love you, guys!!

Odd Eye (Odd)

Oh, Odd Eye...

I really wanted to avoid the Fan Favorites™ to the best of my ability (which is kind of impossible, considering how beloved this album is), but I simply couldn't do that with Odd Eye. Yes, everyone and their mother fucking loves Odd Eye, but this song represents the best parts of Odd, to me.

Odd Eye is smoky. She's smouldering, sis. She's SHINee at their sexiest. Odd Eye's beat doesn't really do much, but that's exactly what the doctor ordered. The beat is basic, but it gives SHINee the chance to just... SHINE!! I absolutely had to start this list off with Odd Eye, because a) this is a modern interpretation of a '90s RnB midtempo if I'd ever heard one and b) this song just really shows that SHINee are That Group™, sis. Don't get me wrong, I love when SHINee flame broil my wig with all the bells and whistles, but they are just as arresting and breathtaking as a group without them. When will your faves ever be this iconic?!?!?!?

SHIFT (1of1)

See... I really set myself up for failure here, because I said I was trying to avoid the Fan Favorites™, but two songs in and I've already got two in a row, so... WHAT'S THE TRUTH,SIS?!?!?!!

SHIFT is a banger, baby. SHIFT is Deep House at its finest, baby. Play this song around A N Y O N E, and they'd jam/bop. EVEN JUST A LIL!! SHIFT is that powerful, babe.

The instrumentation in this song is just so lush, sis. I wouldn't call the texture of this song sweet (because we associate sweet textures in music with warmth), but it's similar. Everything about this song is just so easy on ears. The intro is, easily, my favorite part of SHIFT. That arpeggio with the e.piano and harmonies on top?!?!?!

It's fucking magical.

The harmonies in this song are unreal. SHINee showed up to the studio with their A-game the day they recorded this. No other group harmonizes like SHINee does in their music (most groups treat harmonizing like a cute trick for concerts), but they really outdid themselves this time around.

So Amazing (1of1)

So Amazing (the special track that isn't really that special) is a New Jack Swing song with lots of funky elements, which is right up SHINee's ally. Idk why it took SM so long to throw a NJS song at SHINee with 1of1 because they fuckin' killed that shit (I will have nothing of you losers saying it sounds too much like a typical NJS track, that's the fucking point of a throwback), but better late than never, sis.

So Amazing is really nice. It's got a really bright texture, but it's also really warm and easy on the ears. These types of uptempos are usually cheesy af, but a) that's the '90s babe and b) that makes So Amazing a great mood lifter. I can play this on those days that aren't "cry in bed all day", but aren't all that good, either. Plus, I love imagining all the silly dances the SHINee members did to the dance break, cause that horn section is so fun and playful.

Savior (Married to the Music)

It's another Deep House song!! But not quite. She's more Funk n RnB than Deep House, but shh... She's still Deep House in my heart.

The first time I heard Savior, I was little thrown off by the chorus. They sound like they're shouting in unison over the beat, but it's not as grating as you'd think it'd be. It's actually a whole lotta fun, if you ask me. And this would be such a great song to perform in concert, because it's high energy af. I wouldn't say this chorus is euphoric (Euphoric EDM usually has a note of sadness in the brightness of it all), but I wanna jump around to it like it is. And that's really all that matters, sis.

Romance (Odd)

Part of me feels like someone is going to be mad at this, but their wig is dusty. So I don't care

Romance is a song that I was hugely let down by on first listen. It, obviously, grew on me (this bitch grew on me like a fucking rash), but Ms Romance sounded way cooler in teaser form. The chorus was annoyingly bright and chipper, Minho's rapping was so off putting (which, to be fair, syncopated rapping is hard for most rappers to pull off, so that was just me being a dick), and the whole thing just felt far too long for how flat sounding it was.

I was not a fan, kids.

But Romance, like the album it was pulled from, grows on you. It seems like too much at first, but the more you listen to it, the more you start to Get It™. This isn't one of my favorite songs from the album, but it's one that I look forward to listening to.

Love Sick (Odd)

Oh my God, Love Sick!! Odd Eye and Love Sick are my top two favorite tracks from Odd, and 90% of the reason I held onto Odd for as long as I did. Odd was not an album I liked on first impact. But it kind of hit that this album couldn't be as bad as I made it out to be, because it has quite a few of my top tier SHINee faves. So me and Odd?!?! We cool now. We fucks with each other.

And yes, I do realize Ms Love Sick is another Fan Favorite™, but she's a damn good song. Y'all got me fucked up if you thought I wasn't adding this.

How does one describe Love Sick?!?!! Firstly, let's discuss these harmonies, baby. Love Sick was always gonna be a favorite of mine (that Groove™, sis), but these fucking harmonies take it to the next level. Y'all, SHINee did not have to snap the way they did on the refrain of this song, but they snatched every single follicle of hair from my wig and used it as kindling for the SM Annual Bonfire. I felt like I was floating the first time I heard this song. Love Sick would have been amazing without these over the top harmonies, but once again, SHINee are not content to do just the bare minimum.

As a whole, Love Sick is bouncy, fun, and there's a bit of melancholy there (the song is about unrequited love, after all), but it's just so Good!!

Don't Stop (1of1)

SHINee decided to get Grown n Sexy™ for the kids, y'all!! Got a bitch outchea trynna find a mans just to slow grind on.

But y'all not trynna hear alladat.

Don't Stop is Love Motion's spiritual cousin. They're more alike in vibes than actual sound (BEG being the Grown n Sexy™ idol group), but I mean... if you ever needed a part two to seduce your mans, baby.

Don't Stop, like Odd Eye, is a '90s RnB midtempo if I'd ever heard one. SHINee's vocal here is far more restrained than it was on Odd Eye (they actually let the beat do some of the work), but I like that. This song is a lot more subtle than Odd Eye is. And how does one even describe the beat?!?! I'm not sure that syncopated really does it justice, but it's not something you hear a lot in K-Pop. One complaint I have about this song is that I wished Key's rap break was just an instrumental section. I don't dislike it to the point where it turns me off from the song, I just think it would've been cool to do a dance break there.

Feel Good (1of1)

Feel Good is appropriately named, because she makes a bitch feel real good. Don't let her trick you with the soft intro and first verse, because the bulk of the song is Groovy™ af, baby. You could dance to this, but I'd prefer to just bop to the beat and make stank faces at the appropriate times.

The rap bits in Feel Good, unlike Don't Stop, are Just Right™. I have very much enjoy Minho's evolution as a vocalist *and* a rapper. Rapping in K-Pop is a concept I've just had to get used to cause so many of these idol rappers are not good by any stretch of the imagination. But if you can give me something that's fun, I've learned to roll with it. I liked Jongin as a rapper (before he became Vocalist Kai™), because he was very aware of the fact that that was not his calling in life, but he made it fun. And Minho gives me a fun verse here. Issa highlight.

Rescue (1and1)

If ballads are not your thing, then I wouldn't be surprised if you skipped the entirety of the 1and1 repackage (and therefore, Rescue). Which is a shame, because SHINee have some of the best ballads in K-Pop, but quite understandable.

But Ms Rescue is not much of a ballad, fam. The intro/first verse might trick one into thinking this isn't gonna be much of a song, but just like Feel Good, the song *really* starts with the chorus. And lemme tell you something - the chorus is F I R E!! You've got a nice little beat going with the prechorus, yes, but the chorus takes it to the Next Level™, sis. You've got thumping 808s, a badass chord progression, and the SHINee Boys™ givin' us That Good Good™. The chord progression is a particular favorite of mine, because it's got this gritty, almost anxious feeling to it. It's perfect for this song.

The first time I listened to Rescue, I made the stankest of faces. This song is just *so* fucking '90s, and it's one of my favorites from the repackage.

Alive (Odd)

So on top of giving us Grown n Sexy™ tracks for seducing bae into our lairs (or den of iniquity, if that's what you prefer), SHINee has also provided us with Alive. A song for... Well, do I really have to say it?!?!?!

Doing the frickle frackle!!

Alive is aggressive, kids. Like, EXO's MAMA aggressive. I was kind of thrown off by it on first listen, which is funny considering how I was very much into Everybody (or more specifically, Jinki with blonde hair and eyeliner singing Everybody). This is the type of song I picture boy bands practicing the stomp routines they receive from the National Boy Band Assembly® upon completion of their lineup.

Because boy bands sho' do love they over the top stomp routines, baby.

Alive starts out with a very loud, very in your face drum pattern that almost sounds like a giant making his way through the hills at night. Then, the verse comes crashing in with equally as loud and frenetic synths and The SHINee Boys™ matching the aggressiveness laid out by beat with a whole lotta attitude. And then, my favorite part of the song, the chorus. Out goes the Kill Bill Sirens frenetic synths and in come the RnB chords and harmonies. Cause God Knows™ these boys can't make a song without some killer harmonies. Bless the Lord almighty.

Wish Upon a Star (1and1)

This song always makes me wanna cry. I still love it, tho. Top 10 favorite ballads.

Wish Upon a Star is a soft classical ballad, if I've ever heard one. But The SHINee Boys™ sure know how to dress these up Just Right™ to make them worth your while. Wish Upon a Star sounds like it belongs in a Disney movie. It's soft and wistful, but sweet in texture, at the same time. I'm not exactly stoked for the SHINee World V concerts that are happening in February, but I hope they sing this song for Jonghyun. It'd be perfect for him.

This song always makes me so happy when I listen to it (despite always making me wanna cry my eyes out), because it really just shows how far SHINee have come as individuals and a band. They've always worked so hard to improve and comeback stronger, and this song is the perfect representation of that. 1and1 was the perfect time to release this song, because that era represents SHINee at their best, to me. Listening to this song makes me really happy, despite how sad I am.

Chocolate (Married to the Music)

Because no SHINee playlist (or album, really) is comeplete without a gay up straight up Funk track. Because SHINee are the K-Pop Kings of Funk. I will accept no other opinions about this.

Chocolate is Funk for the kids. The Actual Kids™, that is. Chocolate gives us those Funky elements we all know and love, but with a modern twist. The verses have an almost dissonant quality to them with how syncopated and off kilter the rhythm track is. I'm not gonna lie, it's definitely something you gotta get used to. But when that chorus/refrain rolls up on you, you're definitely gonna be happy you stuck with Chocolate. As typical with any SHINee song, there's lots and lots of harmonies. SHINee sees these groups only doing 5ths, and is like, "Oh no ma'am, not our gay extra asses".

Chocolate is, to be quite honest, SHINee on auto-pilot. It's SHINee doing what SHINee does best, and that's why we fucks with ha. I've never disliked a Funk song from SHINee, and I never will. These SHINee Boys™ have an understanding about Funk, and know how to make Funk songs Just Right™. It's always a pleasure to hear them make songs like these, especially when they give us a modern twist to go along with it.

Alright guys, that's it for today's list!! Tune in next week for my next Feature Spotlight, featuring songs from SHINee's experimental era. And don't forget to tune in on Wednesday to my Review Roundup of this week's releases!!

Love you guys.

Wicked (ACE)

Oh Wicked... You swerved my ass big time when I first listened to you. Idk how, but to be fair - hindsight *is* 20/20.

Wicked starts out with a very calm trumpet line over smooth chords, but it doesn't stay that way for long. Quite like it's hard to keep Taemin in his clothes, the sassy Funk elements just couldn't stay tamed. But that's okay. That's why we like Wicked.

This is a song that I'd really love to see Taemin perform with a live band. Maybe a little choreo. But mostly just Taemin having fun with his backing band. That'd be so cool.

I'm Crying (Flame of Love)

When Taemin announced that he was debuting in Japan with Sayonara Hitori, I was... Intrigued™. I mostly didn't know what to expect (especially with Taeminnie serving Elvin Royalty/Fantasy Prince realness with the teasers), but I was real interested in what the music would sound like. Cause that's what I'm here for, sis.

I'm Crying is J-Pop af. It's also the closest thing to a ballad that I'd enjoy from Taemin. Idk why I don't like his ballads, they just feel bland and so unlike him to me. But I'm Crying is perfect, because it's got that Japanese Winter Ballad™ (all my J-pop fam knows exactly what I'm talking about) feel, but with his signature drama mixed in.

My favorite aspect of the song is how soft and bittersweet the opening melody is. It's such a simple piano melody, but I'm such a sucker for them. And when the strings kicked in?!?!!? I was gone, b.

One by One (Press It)

If ACE showed us Taemin's potential as a soloist, then Press It is Taemin realizing that potential, and showing us Lee Taemin, the artist. ACE remains my favorite body of work by Taemin, but Press It has some of my favorite songs by him.

Like, Top five favorite, sis.

Remember when I mentioned Taemin's signature drama?!?! One by One is a great example of that. Jonghyun is King of the Drama Gays, but Taemin is the Crown Prince. Every time I listen to One by One, I imagine Taemin dancing in the rain to it. Yes honey, full on '90s drama. And it fits, because One by One (hell, the best songs from Press It) all have a '90s flare to them.

Crazy 4 u (MOVE)

Crazy 4 u is one that might have fooled me if I hadn't peeped ha from the jump. See, you don't spring a song like Wicked on a bitch, and expect to surprise ha again with a song that starts out just the same. No ma'am!!

Crazy 4 u, to its credit, stays in the midtempo range for the first verse and prechorus (quite a bit longer than Wicked). Then the beat gets really going, and finally explodes into an RnB influsrd Future Bass style drop. Crazy 4 u never quite pops like Wicked does, but this is another song I'd like to see Taemin perform with a live band. But this time, I definitely wanna see him doin' it big with the choreo.

Door (Flame of Love)

Door is a song I'm surprised I haven't seen on a Korean release from Taem. It's very Jpop-esque, but if anyone could sell J-Pop style music to a Korean audience, it'd be these SHINee boys.

Door is a song that fits right in with the rest of Taemin's repertoire; midtempo with lots of drama. But damn if this man doesn't have me hooked to this type of song from him. He just does them so well, and I just really appreciate that.

Heart Stop (featuring Kang Seulgi of Red Velvet) (MOVE)

Heart Stop was a song that was H I G H L Y anticipated, because of one Miss Kang Seulgi. If we're not counting Drip Drop (which features unctredited background vocals from Miss LiVii/Alice Vicious), Heart Stop was Taemin's first official collaboration as a soloist.

And what a collaboration it is, sis.

Heart Stop is pretty upbeat for a Taemin b-side, but idk if I'd call her an uptempo. She's got groove, but this isn't "dance at the club music"; this is "seduce your mans into giving you $500k" music. Whatever you want to call her, I need Taemin and Seulgi to carve out some choreo to this, and scalp me. They're both awkward as hell around the opposite binary gender (cause they're both so fucking gay), but with some preparation, we could avoid the awkward (but still iconic) mess that was Taemin's collab stage with Sunmi.

Or Seulgi's dance stage with Taeyong. God, that was so fucking bad.

As far as collaborations go, Seulgi is present on the song just as much as Taemin is, and that is really appreciated. They even go as far to sing some sections together, and that was way more than I was expecting. Typically, collabs like this have the featured artist sing/rap one part in the song (typically the bridge) and then they're done. So it's nice to see them make this a Seulgi song as much as they made it a Taemin song. Cause idk if I'd like this as much as I do if it was just Taemin.

Soldier (Press It)

Can we give it up for Press It one good time, y'all?!!?! This album is top heavy with midtempos, but Taemin delivers every single one of them effortlessly. The album is a masterpiece, and I fall in love with it again every time I give it a listen.

Soldier is the quintessential Taemin midtempo. It's what comes to mind whenever I think of his style, sis. Soldier become a timeless classic within Taemin's repertoire, because a) he loves to perform the motherfucker and b) it's first song of his that we hear that *sounds* like Taemin, if that makes sense. I love it.

Play Me (ACE)

Play Me is the song I was expecting when I heard Wicked for the first time. But I'm glad Wicked turned into a funky uptempo, cause it sho' woulda' been awkward to have two sexy, smoldering midtempos so close to each other on an album as short as ACE. Play Me plays out (heh heh heh) the way you'd expect it, but there's nothing wrong with that. She doesn't reinvent the wheel, but she does her job well and that's what matters in my book.

Do It Baby (Flame of Love)

Do It Baby is Taemin givin' us an east meets west affair. The song features a hip hop beat, accented by a Far East sounding riff. I would probably hate this if it didn't work out so well, but God does it work.

if Taemin ever had the urge to film a video for this, I'd wanna see him doing a lot of martial arts inspired posing (similar to what 2NE1 did in I Love You) to the verses and breakdown, and then pull out some break dancing to the beat switch in the latter half of the song. It'd be so fucking cool.

Sexuality (Press It)

Can we give it up again for Press It, you guys?!?! Cause not only are all the midtempos strong as fuck all, but the uptempos are bloody amazing, girl!!

Sexuality is a very different song than what we're used to seeing from an SMe act. Not to say that SM is unfamiliar with a little controversy in their music (BoA's Kiss My Lips, anyone?!?!?!?!), but sis... The song is titled Sexuality.

Lee Taemin is bold as fuck, ladies and gentlemen.

Sexuality is Taemin's drama translated to an '80s template, with a heaping dollop of sex added for good measure. I can't listen to this song in public (as expected for a song titled Sexuality), but it's just so fucking good.

I never knew I needed '80s Taem till Sexuality and MOVE snatched my wig and blasted her into the sun, but now I need every album of his moving forward to include a song like this.

Ace (ACE)

Ace is another song I can't listen to in public. Mostly cause I'm too busy body rolling and giving JRE levels of stankitude in the face. But also because it feels like Taem is trying to fuck you through the music.

This is not a drill, folks - Lee Taemin is trying to sex your body with his Ace. And fuck if I'd ever stop that demon from ruining my life like that.

Ace is what us niggas Negroes of American Nationality like to call a sex jam. A classy sex jam, to be specific. This is not the song to jump zaddy to. Taemin has been generous enough to provide Sexuality for that. No baby, Ace is for lighting some scented candles, putting on your sexiest lingerie, and romancing your mans (or woman, because you know my gay ass doesn't discriminate) into bed with you. Ace is for those nights when you wanna take it nice and slow.

Ace is a rarity within the K-Pop landscape. You don't really hear songs like this. Most love songs are PG as fuck all, and there's not a damn thing wrong with that. I love to be all soft and giggly. But sometimes I want something more sensual.

Tiger (Sayonara Hitori)

So, remember how I said Taem could bring some of his Japanese songs over to Korea, and make it work?!?!

Tiger is not one of those songs.

Tiger is J-Pop as fuck all. Tiger is the type of song the Final Battle™ of an anime/video game would be animated against. Tiger is the opening theme to a dark fantasy anime. Tiger is, simply put, everything I wanted from a Japanese Taemin release. This song fits him so well, and I fucking love it.

Yes, I even love the breakdowns that are all wub wub'd out, because a) it fits the song so well (Tiger could be described as an experiment in how to do extreme sonic shifts without alienating your listener) and b) it's not some Skrillex style bullshit. If Taemin had decided not go with Sayonara Hitori as the feature track for his debut, I'd have loved to see him do Tiger. Especially with those Elvin Royalty/Fantasy Prince Lewks™ he was serving with that silver weave.

FINAL DRAGON (Sayonara Hitori)

If you I were to judge the whole of Final Dragon by just the first thirty seconds, it'd have gone on the trash on first listen. I don't know what's up with that weird Gregorian chant. But it gets better. After Taemin sets the atmosphere (I guess) with his little spoken word, we get thrown into a half time section with the most dramatic horn n violin duet I've ever heard.

And that's when the real fun starts.

Final Dragon is another song that would absolutely not work in Korea. This style of hard rock mixed with symphonic instrumentation sounds very Japanese in texture. But once again, this why we were intrigued by a Japanese Taemin debut. Not only did it make sense financially (Taemin is very popular in Japan), it makes sense musically and thematically.

Final Dragon shows off Taemin's title as the Crown Prince very effectively. This is another song I need to see Taemin perform with a live backing band. I put Final Dragon right after Tiger in this list, because it feels like the aftermath of that Final Battle™. It's the ending theme to Tiger's opening theme. Yes, the two songs were side by side in their original track listing, but sis...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Rise (MOVE)

Firstly, if you're listening to the playlist as you read, I'm so sorry for that whiplash, baby. I took you from one end of the spectrum to the other, but there's a method to my madness. I promise!!

Rise feels like closure. You just endured this epic battle (and the aftermath of it), and now you're approaching reality again. Rise feels like life after crisis. Rise feels like healing. Like, you don't how you survived, but you're just lucky to be alive.

Rise is a big, rousing power ballad (like most of Taemin's midtempos) that feels like it lives and breathes. I like to think of it more of an experience than a song. Of all the songs I've mentioned I wanted to hear live, this is the one I wanna hear the most.

Thirsty (OFF SICK Concert Remix) (SM STATION)

Thirsty feels like a call out, guys. Thirsty is Taemin tellin' us he knows the way we look at him, and he fuckin loves that shit like the chaotic demon he is. Thirsty is Taemin challenging us to give it to him as good as he gives it us. Possibly.

Thirsty is, simply put, Taemin feelin his oats, babies. It's a loud and bombastic declaration of his sexuality (as if he doesn't wear that shit like a designer feaux fur coat), and it's really cool to watch since Taemin isn't your typical idol soloist.

Alright my loves, that's it for this Feature Spotlight!! Did we enjoy the surprise?!?!? Be sure to tune in next week for part one of the SHINee tribute in honor of Jonghyun at 6pm EST (I promise!!). And speaking of Jonghyun, be sure to check out his Feature Spotlight here. And while you're here, there's no harm in checking out my debut Review Roundup. In case you missed it. Love you, guys!!

Hallelujah (BASE)

Hallelujah is a song that feels like it lives and breathes. No one created and arranged song to be what it is, it spawned into being the way it is. And boy is it an experience. The arrangement is sparse, but that's okay - it makes you pay attention to the few elements that are there. It's just an amazing listening experience, sis.

Inspiration (SM STATION)

Inspiration is about sex. Straight up. This song sounds like what I'd expect a filthy and rough fucking to feel like. But beyond that, this song is interesting because, despite how musically uncomplex it is, it sounds like there's way more going on than there actually is. Sometimes listening to Inspiration is like listening to a Hitchhiker song; idk if that was Jjong's intention, but I like it.

AURORA (She Is...)

AURORA is another one that sounds like sex, but it's quite the opposite of Inspiration. Where Inspiration is rough, AURORA is soft. Where Inspiration feels like pure need, AURORA feels like a soft want. Yes, that's cheesy af, but it gets my point across. AURORA feels like coming home to bae and relaxing into the sex cause y'all can. A brilliant track, if I do say so myself.

(And just so y'all don't get it twisted, Kim Jonghyun is the Kpop King of Funk; I will entertain no one else in this position.)

Suit Up (She Is...)

Oh look, another song about sex!! What can I say, songs about sex are great. Especially, Suit Up. Suit Up trades in the Funk elements of AURORA for a soft RnB back drop that is oh so effective. Suit Up is the Ultimate™ in soft sex songs (it's literally about having sex for the first time as a married couple). If we aren't dancing to this at my wedding, know I've been kidnapped and replaced by aliens.

Wouldn’t It Be Like That? (Fine) (The Collection ~Story Op. 1~)

First of all, that title is extra as all hell. But I'd expect nothing less from Kim "King Of The Drama Gays" Jonghyun. Secondly, this is a very straight forward acoustic RnB song. But that's what I like about it - it's no muss, no fuss. Jonghyun is extra as all hell (as all the members of SHINee are), but he knows when to scale it back. And he does so very nicely here.

Orbit (She Is...)

Orbit is (surprise, surprise) another Funk song. And, for those of you who remember the She Is... teasers, the first of the songs we heard. Not quite what we were expecting with its left of center arrangement, but then again, that teaser was just weird as hell. Anyway, underneath Orbit's quirky arrangement lies a very standard Funk song. But as was the case with Fine, I am very much okay with that. Orbit gives me happy brain tingles.

Love Belt (featuring Younha) (BASE)

Oh Love Belt... you make me happy brain tingle so hard. If Jjong had elected to go for a more bombastic arrangement for this song, it would have gone completely wrong. This is a love song that plays fast and loose with it's major elements. But thankfully, Jonghyun decided to scale it back (notice a trend here), and let the vocals shine. And speaking of vocals, how you doin' Miss Younha?!?!?!? Such a lovely addition to song. In fact, I'd say her voice goes with it better than Jjong's, but I'm not trynna fight with Blingers today.

No, ma'amsir!!!

Just Chill ( The Collection ~Story Op. 2~)

In case y'all haven't clockt my boring ass, I quite like what I love to call Acoustic Coffee Shop RnB Midtempos. They're pretty self explanatory - RnB songs you could listen to at a coffee shop. If you can't quite place the sound (even after listening to this list), just wait for Spring; you'll be bombarded with them. Anyway, I say all that to say that Just Chill is an excellently written Acoustic Coffee Shop RnB Midtempo. There's just a lil Funk thrown in their to keep your ears interested as the rest of you blisses out to the pure happiness of the track. It's just so good, sis.

Déjà-Boo (featuring Zion.T) (BASE)

THE KPOP KING OF FUNK MEETS THE K-RNB KING OF FUNK!!! FUCK Y E S!!!

Deja Boo is a song I was not fond of, at first. I thought Jjong and Zion.T sounded really awkward together, but (obviously) the song has grown on me quite a bit. It's just a really cute and endearing song by two very cute and endearing people.

02:34 ( The Collection ~Story Op. 1~)

02:34 has a few false starts (for lack of a better phrase), before she actually gets going. First, you think she's gonna be a ballad; then, you think you're getting a Funky uptempo; and finally, it resolves into an Acoustic Coffee Shop RnB Midtempo. You'd think Jonghyun was playing basketball with hard he jooks us with that intro, sis. But I digress. 02:34 is a nice RnB midtempo with a touch of melancholy to it that keeps it interesting.

I’m Sorry ( The Collection ~Story Op. 1~)

Oh look, a ballad. How quaint. You'd have thought the hardest part about doing this list would've been the uptempos, but it was actually the ballads that got me. Jonghyun has some very arresting ballads in his corner. Take I'm Sorry, for example. It's got the piano and strings that you'd expect from a song like this, but he throws out the classical ballad formula to do his own thing. And instead of using this as an excuse to show off his vocal prowess (we know that Kim Jonghyun can blow), he gives us a very breathy delivery that relays the emotion of the lyrics effectively.

Blinking Game ( The Collection ~Story Op. 2~)

Blinking Game is, in many ways, a spiritual successor to Happy Birthday (a song that features on the first Story Op album that I was unable to fit on this list, but a very lovely song, nonetheless). They're both caberet songs - downtempo little ditties I can see Jonghyun performing in a club for his boo thang. He's sat at a piano with a band playing behind him, and he's got this content little smile on his face. A lovely image. But back to Blinking Game. Despite not feeling like a ballad, it's got the pulse of one; it doesn't have anywhere urgant to go, sis. I'd say it meanders in a circle, like a slow dance, till it ends. A really nice song to relax to.

Elevator ( The Collection ~Story Op. 2~)

Listen to the first 10 seconds of this song, and you'll realize why this song is on this list. Idk if this is a standard diatonic progression or modal (my theory is not that good), but that progression makes my brain happy tingle like mad cray, fam. And then when Jonghyun sings... GIRL, WHEN HE SINGS OVER IT!!! It feels like I've disintegrated into a mass of star dust. God, this song is just so GOOD!!! I said that Jonghyun has some arresting ballads in his collection, but this one takes the cake, guys. I simply lack the words to fully describe the feeling this song invokes in me.

And that's it, guys!! Don't forget to tune back in on Wednesday at 6pm EST for my debut Review Roundup, featuring new songs from this week; and the first part of the SHINee Feature Spotlight on Friday at 6pm!! I hope you all have a lovely night (or morning if you happen to reading from, idk... Japan!!)!!