8TURN’s Like A Friend had the unfortunate fate of being released in mid-December just as most music shows were going on hiatus. The guys finally promoted it (briefly) a month later, but I can’t help but think that if the song had arrived in summer it would have found a more enthusiastic audience. For me, it’s the group’s best title track yet and offered a more robust songwriting style than past work. In contrast, new single LEGGO regresses to some of their earlier tropes.
The song’s energy and heart are in the right place, drawing influence from old-school hip-hop. It’s performed with plenty of verve, but groove is largely replaced with noise. Too much of the track sees the guys shouting at the audience. The noisy chorus is so overstuffed and one-note that it ends up feeling monotonous. There are some cool harmonies happening here, but they’re buried under the incessant “LEGGO!” chants. I’m not usually one for restraint in pop music, but a little might have gone a long way when it comes to this chorus.
A melodic pre-chorus and bridge attempt to inject some contrast. They feel like teases to more interesting songs, drawing upon 8TURN’s playful energy without the need to clobber us over the head with repetitive shouting. Unfortunately, these moments don’t last long and ultimately crumble under the weight of LEGGO‘s boisterous hooks.
Hooks
6
Production
8
Longevity
8
Bias
7
RATING
7.25