[MV & Album Review] PRISTIN -- 'Hi! PRISTIN / Wee Woo'

1. Be The Star
2. Wee Woo *Title
3. Black Widow?
4. Running
5. Over N Over
6. We



Pledis Entertainmenthas debuted their newest girl groupPRISTIN! According to sources, their name is a portmanteau of "prismatic" and "elastin." So their name means "multihued stretchy-skin." Okay, I'm kidding it means "bright and clear infinite strength" (according to their interview onV Live). But that's not what my dictionary says. They originally debuted asPledis Girlz, but after addingNayoungandKyulkyung(who were busy withI.O.Iat the time) they debuted properly asPRISTIN.

The EP kicks off with "Be The Star," which, while not terrible, sort of counts as an "almost there." There are too many jarring transitions and switch ups for it to be a really standout song. It's alright, but it feels way too much like filler. I think it's the chorus where it really falls down because I like some of the main verses. I'm not crazy about the bridges either.

The title track "Wee Woo" is better, but it suffers from some of the same things that hurt the first track. The transitions and bridges are less awkward, but the main hook in the chorus is weak. However, most of the song is awesome and I love the pounding beat. It's just a little anticlimactic by the time it gets to the title, compared to the whole rest of the tune. The sad thing is the hook is an essential part of the song, telling the rest of the story. However, if my heart went "Wee Woo," I don't think I'd be in love. I'd be getting to a doctor in a hurry.



"Black Widow" is just a mess. There are some nods to hip-hop and EDM here, but the whole thing doesn't hang together well. It's like they had several good ideas, but didn't know how to package them effectively into a good song. There are parts I really like, but there's not enough to enjoy before it randomly switches to another part. The whole thing feels like someone changing stations on the radio.

"Running" is really where the album picks up. It's probably the best tune on the disc so far. Sometimes experimentation is a good thing -- likef(x). Sometimes it's a little off. This song has very little to no experimentation, and that serves it well. It's a slick, sweet pop number, unpretentious and unapologetic. But it's as strong a tune as you might find on an album byRed VelvetorTWICE. I like it.

The ballad "Over N Over" is actually where they really shine. It's just a shame it took this long on the album to get there. The girls actually have great singing voices, but it's sometimes hard to put that into a really great uptempo song. But here, they pull the tune off really well, injecting emotion into their voices without becoming overwrought. And the tune is so much better for it.

Save the best for last? Yes, by far the best tune on the disc is the pre-release track "We," by membersRoa,Eunwoo,SungyeonandXiyeon. It's a good tune, very well-realized by the girls. It almost reminds me of disco, except the beat is much stronger. The girls wrap their voices around this one nicely, and it's a great finisher.

The problem is that the last track is something we've already heard, and most of the newer tracks don't measure up. I've collected my fair share of debut albums, and this one is kind of on the weaker end of the spectrum. The songs that are strongest are the ones where the girls had the most to do with. True, their names are on all the tracks, but they composed, arranged, and wrote "Running," which is the best track on the album next to "We."  Not the best EP at all, and frankly, I blame the company -- the girls are in fine form when they're allowed to be.

MV REVIEW

I'm not sure this really has a plot, but I suppose you had to justify the siren sounds in the song with a police presence.

It appears the girls have magic powers, at least some of them. We have floating cards, floating hair, clothes that shoot out of laundry machines and a magic lamp. The girls dance and sing as magic effects pop up all around them.

The girls dance really well. That's the thing that I noticed most about this. There was a definite reason to showcase this, and they move more precisely and with more confidence than many competing groups. Their moves were par excellence (well, except for that foot lift during the hook -- that was as lackluster as the hook).

The outfits range from obvious eye candy to normal, and everything is brightly hued (fitting their name). It was well-filmed and I didn't notice anything particularly low-budget. And I think that's the key. It may not have taken much to make this (I'm not privy to Pledis' budgets), but they dressed it up well.



I'm making it sound worse than it is, but it really defies coherent description. It's actually a fun video. The girls are absolutely gorgeous, and it's pretty funny to see, say, a soda blow up in someone's face. It's like they didn't take themselves too seriously, but were in desperate need of a concept. I like it, though, just like I enjoy the song.

Score

MV Relevance..........8
MV Production.........9
MV Concept.............8
Album Production....6
Album Concept........7
Tracklisting..............7

OVERALL...............7.5