[Album Review] B2ST - 'Time'

B2ST - TIME

Track List:
01. 12:30
02. Drive
03. It's All Good
04. Close My Eyes
05. Stay
06. So Hot (Bonus Track – CD Only)


Just in 'Time' for their fifth anniversary,B2STdropped their new mini-album, their seventh one to date. 'Time' is the newest follow-up to 'Good Luck,' and five of the six tracks were written, composed, and arranged byKim Tae JooandJunhyung.

"12:30," the first track, is a ballad. While I like the lyrics, I don't care for the melody so much. It's a bit meandering for my taste. That being said, I like the arrangement, a ticking clock turns into the beat behind a piano accompaniment.  I really dig the imagery in the lyrics:

Right now, we're like the clock hands at 12:30
Our backs turned against each other, looking at different places, about to throw everything away
Right now, we're like the clock hands at 12:30
We're walking to a place that we can never return from  

Smooth and funky with a rap intro, "Drive" is a good mid-tempo song. Layered harmonies and spare instrumentation make this song work. The song itself is about driving away from a relationship, leaving all the good times and bad times behind.

"It's All Good" is a mid-tempo acoustic guitar driven tune. I love howJunhyung's raps mesh with the main tune, the tempo turning up and the beats becoming more prominent. Despite the title, the lyrics are full of regret:

Our tug-of-war has lost its tension
Even looking at you felt like pressure
Talking to you didn't feel natural
At some point, it felt really hard
I thought we resembled each other but now I know
We're so different
I hoped you would be my last puzzle piece
But no matter how much you tried to fit, it didn't fit

Smooth in a different way from "Drive," "Close My Eyes" definitely has an r&b/hip-hop groove present.  With an enjoyable acoustic guitar riff, the boys continue the morose "I lost your love" theme prevalent on this disk.  

"Stay" is pure dance track goodness. It starts with an epic piano intro and transitions quickly into the boys singing and an insistent synth riff; synth and vocals intertwine masterfully. In direct counterpoint to its high-energy beats, it is again married to melancholy lyrics.   



The last song, "So Hot," is unique, not only because it's the most upbeat tune in this EP (though that's not saying much) but also becauseKikwanghad a hand in the lyrics for this tune. A bit naughty, a bit sweet, and a good mid-tempo melody.

"Time' is a really good album, absent of filler and even tighter than 'Good Luck,' which I also enjoyed. Junhyung's rapping on these tracks is even better than the heartfelt raps on their previous release. With the exception of the first track, this is definitely staying on my playlist. Pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

Recommended Tracks:Drive, Stay