Song Review: E’Last – Crazy Train

It’s been over a year since E’Last made their most recent comeback, and looking back I can’t recall anything about that song except the fact that I didn’t really care for it at the time. The group debuted with a theatrical, strings-heavy sound that set them apart from most of their peers. Over the years, that signature sound made room for many other boy group tropes, diluting their musical identity. Crazy Train‘s upbeat, rock-infused style might as well be from a new act entirely.

Crazy Train is fun in the way most songs of this nature are, and E’Last present it as well as anyone. However, it’s not bringing anything new or idiosyncratic to the table. So instead of listening to this as the next evolution in E’Last’s career, it’s almost as if I’m reviewing its success (or lack thereof) in context of this specific song template. In that regard, Crazy Train is above average. I appreciate its insistent energy. The pace never slows, even during the sections we’ve been conditioned to expect a shift in tempo. This alone earns the track points. The overall intensity also grows as Crazy Train barrels toward its finale. Yep, a sense of build is another feather in its cap.

Melodies are slightly below average for this template, but that’s in keeping with 90% of K-pop songs this year so I’m not sure how much I can hold that against them. A shouted intro and a few unnecessary whistles during the chorus also draw some ire, but they’re unobtrusive enough not to cause major harm. Overall, I don’t see this track standing the test of time in any meaningful way, but I’ll add it to my library as solid burst of predictable boy group energy.

Grade: C