KEY POINTS

0:00  Disclaimer

0:19  Whats up this episode?

0:52  #A3Day Highlights Playlist updates

2:34  First album review + the A3Day Ranking

5:52 Second album review + the A3Day Ranking

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

A brief hiatus occurred last week to accommodate evacuations and other safety measures for hurricane Laura. Thankfully, many were spared danger. Many more, however, were not so lucky. If you or someone you know was negatively impacted by the recent storms, my heart goes out to you. I hope that todays episode can put a smile on your face. Lets continue on with the discography of Korean boy band A.Cian, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall. Per the teachers desk (aka our previous episode) its decided that the #A3Day Playlist will expand to Apple Music, Google Play, and YouTube on TheGreatMoments YouTube channel. This will be an effort that will take time to curate, therefore please continue to check out the shows playlist on Spotify. While Patreon patrons have their own -- and sadly neglected -- Spotify playlist, that will be revitalized to provide a more well-rounded listening experience. Please anticipate more updates about all playlists throughout this season and Season 5.

Now, I told you during the first episode for A.cian that they earned a 5 as their A3Day ranking, yes? I said that the album wasnt ranked so highly because its an essential part of your K-pop journey, but because it delivers on what it was made to do, and that is to get you moving at aerobic heart rate levels. How does the rest of the discography stack up? Since we skipped two days last week, well look at both today. Ill keep it brief, I promise. I intend to be more in depth during A.cians Final Thoughts episode.

First, is 2014s Ouch. Released on October 31 of that year, the mini album consisted of three tracks, title track Ouch, So Happy Together, and Up & Down. This time, we know whos featured on this album: Hyeokjin (??), Sanghyun (??), Jin.O (??), and Lo-J (???). This knowledge was acquired solely because of album cover images on YouTube. I'm grateful for this, because how could I continue not knowing?!

A.cian was on-brand with the aesthetics of 2014. Just a little over two months before their comeback, not-quite-meteoric BTS had released Dark & Wild. A.cians Ouch music video is within the same space as Danger, showing off the manly energy of the members dripped in HBA attire. Side note, I actually miss the Hood By Air fashion era that brought nothing spectacular to the K-pop scene. All the video concepts had the same attire, allowing the performance of choreography and lyrics to shine through. 

That aside, you come out of the baseline-free Ouch -- and may I add, this was a time in music when many songs across the globe were lacking a pulse, minimizing bass lines for puffed up synths and MIDI accents -- and drop right into the bubble gum of So Happy Together. Its joyous and fits whatever your happiness is in your mind. Maybe youll invision a road trip, maybe its time on a beach with friends. It could be just you thrashing around your home in undies or lounge wear while cleaning, I dont know. Either way, the song doesnt ask much of you but to smile and sing along.

The last track is a techno song called Up & Down and its such a jarring transition from the song before it. As the guys croon about a breakup, youve got a lightstick being tossed at you from the sides of the dance floor. Catch it. Catch it and dance. Be exhausted by it...