Xdinary Heroes was formed in 2021 by JYP Entertainment, the same company that made Day6, Twice, and Stray Kids. Like Day6, they’re a band as well as an idol group, with Gunil on drums, Jungsu on keyboard and vocals, Junhan and Gaon on guitar, Jooyeon on bass, and O.de on synthesizer.

Here are my credentials: nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’ve heard of them, sure, but I don’t know any of the members, I don’t know any of their songs, and I don’t know any of their albums. So this is sure to be a wild ride; let’s get into it!

Single #1: Happy Death Day

With a name like Happy Death Day, I had no idea what I was going to be in for, and after having listened to it somewhere between three and thirty three times, I still have no idea what’s happening. This song is strange, but not in a charming way; the “tra-la-la-la” was both annoying and annoyingly catchy, and the music video confused the everloving hell out of me, to be honest. There’s some good in it, not the least of which being that they seem like they’re having fun, but I’m going to have to give this one a pass.

EP #1: Hello World

After my…not exactly complementary views on their debut, Test Me gave me a glimmer of hope straight from its guitar-heavy opening. It’s certainly more polished, while still retaining the edge that made Happy Death Day interesting. It’s on the poppier side of rock, sure, but it’s further into the genre than k-pop usually goes, and the chanty hook is great. It even had me bopping my head along.

From the EP, Hello World, I enjoyed the powerful rock ballad that was Pirates and the great villain-discussing-his-evil-plan energy of Strawberry Cake. My hidden gem was the chant-driven Knock Down, with its emphasis on the vocals, handclap-led pre-chorus, and somewhat anti-drop before it rockets back forward again. Why on earth was this not made a single? This is a great 1st release.

EP #2: Overload

Hair Cut, as befits the name, feels as sharp as a blade, straight out of a production of Sweeney Todd, and Xdinary Heroes have the power to back up this idea.The pre-chorus build up is great too. But unfortunately, the main part of the chorus is just too strange and anti-drop heavy for me. Which is a shame because besides those few lines, I really like the song. It’s so dramatic and over-the-top (and therefore right up my alley). I think with a few more listens, it could grow on me, though I don’t know if I’ll ever get past the ridiculousness of “get a haircut” repeated with complete sincerity.

From the EP, Overload, I enjoyed the mile-a-minute beat of Zzz, the meaty guitar hook of Lunatic, and the solid rock-meets-strings elements of Crack In The Mirror. Another great mini-album, though I think I liked Hello World better as a whole.

EP #3: Deadlock

Freakin’ Bad, while it retains some of the flashiness of past singles, succeeds where they’re failed by having a simple but strong underlying beat. The hook is a little harsh on the ears for me, I have to say, which tempered my enjoyment of the chorus. And also, it’s a bit hard to take their “bad boy” image seriously when they’re saying the word “freakin’” and not just swearing. It’s very much given “I’m a thirteen year old attempting to be cool”, which I’m sure isn’t what they’re going for. I really liked the outro’s keyboard and synthesizer combo, and I wish the rest of the song had utilized what made it so strong.

From the EP, I enjoyed the rushing chorus of Bicycle, the more laid-back sound of Checkmate, and the  My hidden gem was Good Enough, which starts surprisingly gently before it blossoms into a bonafide rock ballad.

EP #4: Livelock

Break The Brake is the official single from this release and goes down a more metal-inspired route. It’s harsh, yes, but not on the ears in the way that Freakin’ Bad or Hair Cut tended towards. Instead, its rougher moments courtesy of the drums or electric guitar not only feel intentional but feel like they fit with the rest of the song. It’s not as good as it could be, but it’s absolutely a step in the right direction.

Freddy, for some reason, I was convinced was a single, and even though I’ve realized it’s not, I’m in too deep to back out now. It’s kind of hilarious that this may be my favorite of their songs so far. The chorus races forward, heavy with electric guitar and percussion, while the verses are more minimal, balancing each other out. The random blasts of carnivalesque brass keep the interest going too, taking everything that didn’t work from their past music and carrying it off with confidence.

From the EP, I enjoyed Pluto’s powerful chorus, the incredibly catchy chanted hook of Enemy (my hidden gem), and the palpable emotion in Paranoid.

Album #1: Troubleshooting

Little Things’ beginning is much more relaxed than any of their singles have been so far, working in elements of pop to smooth out the rougher parts that usually catch on my ears. It’s the most like “kpop” that any of their work has sounded, which isn’t a bad thing, just a bit surprising. The pre-chorus’ great build is undoubtedly my favorite part, reveling in all its angsty glory as the MV’s set floods with water and sparks. It reminded me a bit of ONEWE’s Rain On Me, especially with its ending catharsis.

Troubleshooting is the first full album, so there’s a lot to talk about. I enjoyed the steady bass beat of opener No Matter, the bombastic, in-your-face chorus of Paint It, the emotional bridge-to-outro of Until The End Of Time, and the joyful feeling of Fireworks. My hidden gem was Money On My Mind, with its full-throated hook and fantastic back-and-forth chant. I’m sure it would be a crowd pleaser in concert.

Next time, we’re onto Part 2. Tschüss!