I may be showing my age here, but when I hear the phrase “Earth, Wind & Fire” I only think of one thing. BOYNEXTDOOR don’t strike me as the funk disco type, but they did begin to win me over with last year’s addictive But Sometimes. They’ve got a swaggering energy that feels more natural with each comeback. This new single continues that development with a gimmicky twist.
Even as pop music has slowed and subdued overall, “sped-up” versions of songs have become all the rage this decade. Earth, Wind & Fire injects that trend within the song itself. In a move sure to polarize, part of its chorus is intentionally sped up to create an Alvin & Chipmunks style calling card. It’s minimal enough to work and compliments the song’s rollicking energy. I almost wish they would have leaned harder into the madness.
The rest of Earth, Wind & Fire is pretty predictable. The chorus is fun but repetitive and a second verse rap breakdown mostly works. More than anything, the group is starting to sound like this decade’s version of Block B. Given their management, I guess that’s not surprising. But stacked up against that group’s many classics, a song like Earth, Wind & Fire sounds pretty slight. It needs at least one more standout element to flesh it out.
Hooks
8
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
8