For awhile, there was some question whether BTS members would enlist in the military, given the breadth of their achievements and the valuable soft power they’d developed for South Korea. The enlistments ended up happening, but the music still flows during their hiatus as RM becomes the latest to release “new” material without being able to actively promote it.
Come Back To Me is a pre-release for his upcoming album and makes sense as an enlistment-era track. Unmoored from its music video, the song is a lengthy six-and-a-half minute slow burn. It’s sad to say, but you could fit three TikTok-ready pop songs into this time frame. Come Back To Me doesn’t sound like a “single” or “comeback” or “title track,” and there’s something admirable about that. After all, this group has earned the right to release whatever they want and they have a (literal) army of fans who will support every move they make.
This is a ponderous track, and one that will likely spawn much analysis among listeners. I can embrace that kind of analysis occasionally, but first a song has to grab hold of me in a visceral way. After a nearly two-minute build of halted phrasing and gentle guitar, Come Back To Me finally lays down its drums. This is the moment where it grabs me. The groove is loose and airy, begging for a more interesting set of melodies to tease out its full potential. This segment doesn’t last long and we’re soon returned to a hushed, spoken-word verse. It feels almost improvisational at times, like a laid-back jam session. I appreciate it more than I like it, but I’m curious what RM has in store for the accompanying album.
Hooks
7
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.5