Album Review: Andy - Vol. 1 Andy The First New Dream

Andy (앤디) – Vol. 1 Andy The First New Dream

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01 New Dream (Intro)
02 Love Song
03 Timing (Feat. Chae Yeon)
04 U Turn (Feat. Rock)
05 바라고 또 바라고
06 우리, 사랑할까요? (Feat. Byul)
07 얼굴 빨개졌다네
08 널 생각해 (Feat. Eric, Amin.J)
09 Never Give Up (Feat. Eric, Dongwan, Minwoo)
10 엉뚱한 상상 (Feat. Yoobin of Wonder Girls)
11 거짓말
12 Music In My Heart (Duet With Ahn Yu Jin)

There was no doubt that Andy was going to release his own solo effort. Being a part of the evergreen boyband Shinhwa, he was one of the last ones to release a CD. But will his style and talents bring in the same amount of praise his fellow band members did? Andy’s first album is a mix of several genres ranging from dance to pop to R&B.

For a title track, Love Song can be taken two ways by those who listen to it. One way would be that it’s quite a catchy song. Another is that it’s quite annoying. Musically, the song is quite "cute" and is a fun and cheery pop track. The use of brass instruments in the background gives the song a foundation and the funky beat and airy background vocals are rather interesting. With that said, the song has nothing that makes it stand out, nor does it have a climax point where one can go "wow". Vocally, the song is quite weak. Andy is usually the rapper in Shinhwa and it shows as his vocals are airy and weak, leaving little excitement throughout the whole song. Everytime he tries to hit the higher notes, he seems to strain himself. Not a strong song to begin with.

Such a weak title track could deter listeners from persevering with the album, but it’s not without its merits. Barago Ddo Barago is quite a surprise, though. This slow ballad sounds similar to many other Korean ballads, but it does Andy more justice. The vocals are stronger and though he sounds somewhat choppy, he does a good job with the performance. Timing is another pleasant surprise as it’s a fun collaboration with Chae Yeon. Her sweet vocals complement Andy’s interesting and smooth rapping in this calming R&B track.

On an overall basis, this album is quite lackluster, though it still has its surprises. The mix of genres has its pros and cons in this album as there are some strong styles and weaker ones. Fans might enjoy this album, but there is nothing in here for the neutrals. Everything has been done before and done better. It was a nice attempt for Andy, but in the end, there was nothing that made it great.

2/5

5/5 – Even if you’re not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 – If you’re a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 – If you’re a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 – I don’t think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 – You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.