As one of the earliest purveyors of K-pop’s tropical trend in 2017, KARD quickly developed a signature sound. That’s since shifted as they’ve explored a variety of approaches over the past five years. Hip-hop has been a notable touchstone and their results with the genre have been mixed. New single Tell My Momma takes a more subdued approach but fails to make its mark.
New-gen K-pop is often accused of sounding too much like Western pop, and Tell My Momma definitely fits within this trend. To put it bluntly, the song is dull. Its textures are generic and muted, feeling like a grab bag of every pop song you’ve heard on the radio over the past few years. The melodies are inert and repetitive, lacking the range or warmth that might compel attention. It’s just a slog to get through. There’s no lift or bounce and the rhythm feels stuck at half-time.
Jiwoo and Somin are the winners here, as they work to buoy the song’s so-so hook. Their vocals are strong and refreshing, but kept at a distance. Meanwhile, the studio effects on the rapped verses remove character in favor of a slurred, sleepy sound that’s been overused by male popstars in pretty much every country of the world.
Hooks
7
Production
7
Longevity
7
Bias
6
RATING
6.75