Here are my credentials (again): Uh…very few, I’m afraid. Lucy caught my eye in a compilation video (or rather, the violin did), and I decided to check out their music. I know a few title tracks, but very few of their b-sides, and very little about the members themselves, so I’m looking forward to learning more.

As the title says, I wrote this review with my Dad, when I was home for break, who was both the closest willing participant and also quite a talented viola player, so I wanted his opinions and knowledge on string instruments for this. He’s also played violin, though it’s not what he’s focused on at the moment. And he also happens to be a (now retired) documentary maker, so I wanted his opinion on music videos’ cinematography. I’ve featured him on the blog before, both in my ATEEZ concert review (which he came to with me) and the Wonder Girls review with both of my parents, but this is his solo debut. So be nice—to him, at least, be mean to me!

(Read Part One here)

Album #1: Childhood

Play, unsurprisingly from an album called Childhood, follows in the steps of Snooze in the opposite way to Blue Voyage. It’s a wistful reminder of simpler, happier times when you could just live life without cares, and how the people we love bring us back to those times. (“I remember you going through those!” Dad said when Wonsang went down the slide). I like the choice to make the verses quite minor and almost sad, while the chorus is bright and free-wheeling, and the way they come together is great. I also enjoyed the “lalalala” fade out and the half-cartoony, half-realistic shots of the music video, which worked well with the subject matter. “These are such great visuals,” Dad said with a smile, it only getting wider when the kid ran in and hugged Yechan. We both adored this one, song and music video, and it was something special to watch it with my dad, looking at youth from two different angles.

From the full album, Childhood, I enjoyed the call-and-response in Knowhow, the way the drums and strings mix together in 10 sec, the rushing energy of Opening, the gentle guitar in You Are My Light, and Song Eun Hye’s feature on We Will Fly Away (which was my hidden gem).

EP #4: Coin

Some Day In The 21st Century’s excited intro is a welcome shift from the somewhat sadder Play, though it sticks to Lucy’s running theme of wanting to hold on to the past and stay close to one’s own childhood. I’m normally not a fan of chanting in k-pop, but here in this song’s post-chorus, it really works with the feeling of nostalgia the track imparts and blends in seamlessly with the instrumental and the soaring vocals. Also, there’s the return of the violin solo, which is always welcome. “It took me a minute to get into it,” Dad noted, “But I think it shows that they’re very tight as a band; however tight the rhythm is, they stick together.” We both liked this one, though not as much as the others.

Unbelievable is on the brighter, more cartoony side of Lucy’s discography, and the MV made me laugh uncontrollably due to war flashbacks of the time I was obsessed with Minecraft as a kid, though I understand that the MV’s supposed to be a shoutout to a range of video games. Its choppy background, springy guitar, and incredibly fast strings do a good job propping up the song’s feel-good message of “believe in yourself”, though I had to watch it a second time because I was laugh-cringing too hard (which is my own fault, I suppose).

From the EP, Insert Coin, I enjoyed the quite catchy beat of Tied Up, and especially the metal influences on Fill It Up.

EP #5: Fever

Haze is only the second song I’d heard of Lucy’s before this review, which is a bit funny as it’s also one of their most recent. It embraces the same kind of warm spring feeling that Flowering does, but with more of a soft rock edge, blending together some of their disparate sounds. This song brought into focus something I’ve thought for a while, which is that Lucy have just excellent lyrics; in particular, the lines “holding tight to a crumbling star” and “I envy the flying bird and it’s freedom” stuck out to me. I enjoyed the muted, echoing chanting in the pre-chorus that felt like cheering someone on to get back again. I also really appreciate the messaging of this one to never give up, expressed through people facing bullying, a sports injury, and tests with the help of support. It’s a very sweet message, and everyone needs a song like it, sometimes. “They have such poignant videos, and this one was really telling such a good story,” Dad said to me.

From the EP, Fever, I enjoyed the strong driving beat and call-and-response of So What.

Single #6: Boogie Man

Boogie Man goes further into rock than most of their songs, and I adore the over-dramatic direction they took with this one, since it feels right out of Halloween. “This is a bit more edgy than the others, and definitely the most highly produced”, Dad noted, “I like it.” The song is funky, a touch jazzy, and just generally so much fun, with some slight digressions here and there to give the violin some time to shine, and I also really liked the choppy nature of when the instruments choose to kick in and pull back, making it feel dynamic and playful. I didn’t expect to love this one so much, but it slowly became one of my favorites; my dad was convinced from the beginning, so credit where it’s due.

EP #6: From.

Villain comes out swinging, and despite the sound, which veers towards solidly pop-rock, it’s quite vulnerable, with some of their rawest and most affecting vocals. Quieter moments that don’t slow down the song or make it any less engaging, but provide a breather, setting the audience up for the great explosions of guitars and drums. The whole song is just so Lucy that I can’t imagine anyone else doing it, and definitely not this well. My dad agreed, saying, “a lot of the time, I feel like the music’s really similar, but I can always tell it’s them.”

From the EP, From, my hidden gem was Complex, which is actually quite simple, yet still manages to be both catchy and honest, especially in its anthemic post choruses. Also, it has one of my favorite violin solos from Yechan. Though I really liked Villain, I wish this one had been a single too. I also enjoyed the lovely ballad Burn It and the upbeat sound of Donggaebi Dance. This is another very strong EP, to absolutely no one’s surprise, and it may be their best so far.

EP #7: Wajangchang

Hippo is all animated, a fun change from Lucy’s previous singles and a well-fitting one too. It starts off with a springy bass and piano, a blend of the more jazz focused approach taken in Boogie Man with the brightness of their other titles. Something I’ve appreciated about almost all of their titles is the ability to innovate while keeping a core sound, and this song’s a perfect example of that. I loved the rougher vocals too; they provide a good contrast to the cartoonishness. The violin solo may be one of my favorites so far; it reminded my dad a lot of Irish / Appalachian folk, especially as it speeds up towards the end. And the amount of times we laughed at the MV is probably off the charts. It’s an odd little song, that much is for sure, but I kind of love that about it.

From the EP, I enjoyed the great blend of falsetto and strings in Wakey Wakey, the full-on power ballad Pathetic Love, and the gorgeous-as-always vocals of Bleu. I couldn’t choose a hidden gem.

Verdict: TL;DR

So, I’m glad I did this! Their discography is so joyful and bright, while also being nostalgic and genuine in its emotions. They seem like they’re not afraid to laugh at themselves and have fun with their music, which is always great to see. Watching some behind the scenes content gave me some great laughs as well. And of course, I had a wonderful time with my father; we both said that we’d love to see Lucy the next time they come to America on tour. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and I guess I can call myself a Wall now.

My Top 5 songs are Snooze, Flare, Boogie Man, Irrelevant Answer, and Flowering, with You’re Right as an honorable mention. Lucy gets a 10 out of 10 from me, only the second time I’ve given a group that score, which is a surprise for everyone involved, but a happy one! As my Dad said, “there isn’t really a weak song in the bunch.” I often talk about a group retaining the same style, but I also loved how they experimented with styles while still making it feel like the same group. They’re so incredibly talented, from their drumming to their singing to their violin playing, andI’ll be looking forward to their next releases, and who knows?

Next time, we’ll be doing Part 2 of Girls’ Generation. Tschüss!