Keeping up with K-Pop: BLACKPINK’s latest album is “Hard to Love”

BLACKPINK is finally back in their listener’s area with their latest album “BORN PINK,” which was released on Sept. 16 after an almost two-year group hiatus. 

Expectations for this album were very high. Being the most popular K-Pop girl group at the moment, I was eager to see if they would try a new sound or stick with what fans know and love. 

While the pre-single release for the album, “Pink Venom” did not strike as intensely as it should have, nothing was more of a disappointment than their lead single for this album, “Shut Down.”

Taking a classical instrumental, and making it into a hip-hop beat is not new to K-Pop, but this song lacked variety, and ultimately was just boring. 

The instrumental did not stray from the violin throughout the entire song, and there was no variation or build really present to add intensity to the music. It just seemed as if my ears were stuck in a never ending waltz, yet with rapping. 

The vocals, rapping, and visuals for the music videos were all fine. Overall, it was just an underwhelming release. Nothing stood out that made me want to share this song with all my friends. 

After almost two years with no new music, to have this song be their big comeback, part of me almost wishes that this comeback never happened. I would have rather waited more time for a better song. 

What shocked me the most about this album is how short these songs were, with seven out of the eight songs barely even being three minutes long. Every time a song felt like it was about to build into a masterpiece, it just would end, and leave me wanting more. 

However, most of the b-sides to this album are what make “BORN PINK” an album worth listening to. 

Starting with “Yeah Yeah Yeah,” this song is a soft rock anthem, with an almost 70s-inspired synth instrumental-led chorus that really helps bring this song a unique color by being able to blend these two genres almost seamlessly. 

“Hard to Love,” a solo song on the album sung by Rosé, illustrates the seamless blend of two genres, with the introduction of the soft rock genre again leading into a bright city-pop sound that is my absolute favorite genre that K-Pop songs tackle. 

The simple electric piano begins the song, which is then met with the nice and slow addition of guitar and drums. After the saxophone is introduced, the song truly comes alive into a bustling nightlife scene. 

However, just when I was anticipating a big ending, the song just started to fade away, robbing me of the experience that I wanted to have with the song. 

Taking a complete turn into a piano ballad, “The Happiest Girl” is the most stunning, and heartbreaking song on the album. 

While most know BLACKPINK for their rapping, and not their singing ability, this song strips that expectation away, leading you in awe of their raw vocals and emotions. 

The lyrics of this song really tear you apart and help show us a softer side of BLACKPINK, which is a complete 180 of the confidence that was exuded at the start of the album with “Shut Down.”

My favorite lyrics from the song come from the second verse, them being “Don’t change the truth, we can’t undo/The high we chase, steal the crash, no/You’re not the one who gets to cry.” 

Keeping on with the emotional side of things, the last b-side worth mentioning of the album is “Tally.”

This song eases listeners back into the soft rock that was introduced a couple of songs prior, but this time, the lyrics are really what drives this song into being some of their best work. 

The chorus is a repetitive part of this song, but each time the lyrics hit, it feels brand new again. 

“I say ‘fuck it’ when I feel it, ‘cause no one’s keepin’ tally. I do what I want with who I like, I ain’t gon’ conceal it. While you talkin’ all that shit I’ll be gettin’ mine, gettin’ mine.”

The main issue with this album is how short it is. With there being a total of eight songs, and an album run time of only 24 minutes and 34 seconds, it makes me wonder what this album could have been if they just brought more character to each song. 

It felt rushed, and for this being almost two years in the making, it makes you wonder where all that time went to produce what could have been a masterpiece. 

This album is not their best work, and it makes me fear for the future of BLACKPINK. If this is the new sound they are striving for, I do not know how much longer they will last as a group.