Somebody needs to explain why TXT are hanging around in the snow for the promo images of their Japanese single album Chikai, which is set for release in the month of… July. If nothing else, I guess it’s interesting counter-programming? The same could be said for We’ll Never Change, which adopts a more subdued sound than you’d expect for the summer months.
Unlike the K-pop market, it’s pretty common for ballads and slower material to be promoted in Japan. Many HYBE artists have targeted this niche with their Japanese singles, but most of these songs miss the mark. Specifically, they miss the sprawling melodic structure that often comes along with popular Japanese ballads. We’ll Never Change could be an affecting, multifaceted track that takes advantage of TXT’s unique vocal tones and the rock ambitions found within many of their songs. Instead, the song pulls back at every turn. From melody to arrangement, it fails to find its own standing and settles for pleasant and ephemeral.
TXT have proven themselves masters at sentimental, ballad-like set pieces. I’m thinking (obviously) of 2021’s much-lauded 0X1=LOVESONG, but I’m also reminded of 2019’s Nap Of A Star — a gentle wisp of a track that proves how compelling “subdued” can be. For me, We’ll Never Change hits neither of these marks, relegating it to the mushy middle.
Hooks
7
Production
7
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.25