Buried Treasure: TWS – Comma,

A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

Though they’ve shifted their sound for this new comeback, I’m quite pleased with TWS’s single album. It feels well suited to the season and title track Last Festival is already proving to be very addictive. No matter the genre, the aspect of TWS’s music that has me most excited is its embrace of melody. This is on full display across all three new tracks.

With that said, you all know I love an upbeat banger. Comma, (점 대신 쉼표를 그려) closes the album with a bang, offering a hearty dose of funk that sees the guys operating in my preferred musical mode. Many boy groups go down the funk route, but these tracks are often quite monotone in their melodic approach. Comma has that brilliant TWS flourish, delivering range and creativity in its structure. Just listen to how the melodies dance through the chorus, zooming up and down the scale with energy and movement. This is what I’m referencing when I mention “melodic range.” There’s a fluency and punch to these lines that ensures the song never flatlines. Of course, you must have the vocal chops to pull this off, and TWS are proving themselves more and more adept in this regard.

if I have a complaint about Comma, it’s that the production sometimes feels too sparse for its own good. This is especially obvious when the song suddenly swerves into a robust rapped bridge. The instrumental becomes full and exciting at this moment, making me wish the rest of the song followed suit. Still, this flourish is especially thrilling given its contrast and pushes the track toward a rousing finale.

Grade: B+