TXT gave fans the ultimate “Sugar Rush Ride” in their latest comeback.
On Jan. 27, trending K-pop boy group sensation, TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) consisting of members Soobin, Yeonjun, Taehyun, Beomgyu and Huening Kai released their fifth mini album The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION along with a music video for its title track “Sugar Rush Ride.”
The comeback marks the end of TXT’s rock music era and introduces a new musical concept that has many people obsessed. The boy group’s comeback has shown that they are capable of different styles of music and has proven to be successful on music shows with its visually beautiful music video and addictive melody.
The title song is one of the light alternative-pop-dance genres, telling the story of an exhilarating journey of a boy who falls into a fatal temptation in which danger lurks in beauty. The danger and temptation the members face appear in lines such as “I can feel it, I can’t resist it,” highlighting the addictive nature drawing them in as well as of the song itself. The chorus, beginning with “The devil said,” reveals the sinister, corrupted intention behind the sugar rush ride.
Moreover, from the funky guitar in the background to the heavenly and upbeat pre-chorus, TXT reminds us as well that this satisfaction and rush is temporary, with the anti-drop chorus that completely contrasts the beginning. I would be lying if I said that the drop wasn’t jarring at first. Though I was caught off guard and a little unsatisfied at first, the chorus, especially the whistling in the background and sensual voices really grew on me and helped to keep the alluring and dreamy vibe of the song. It is undoubtedly not the strongest TXT song, but TXT pulled off the concept really well.
Additionally, the cinematography as well as the visuals and color palette of the music video really serves to aid its storytelling and is drawn from the story of Peter Pan. Taking place on a deserted island with rather muted colors, the music video soon evolved and began transitioning to brighter and bold colors along with glitter on the member’s bodies during the pre-chorus, and eventually into dark clothing which they wear during the chorus that signifies their fall. The contrasting colors help weave together a compelling story that enchants fans and nonfans as well.
The rest of the song lives up to the album’s name as well, which all together created a strong and cohesive album that I really enjoyed listening to, with my personal favorite track being “Farewell, Neverland.” The song exceeded my expectations, as I had expected, judging from the song title for it to be a slower, more sentimental track. From start to finish, the slow melody as well as the acoustic guitar helped to accentuate the vocals and create a dreamy and hazy atmosphere that had a bit of longing in it, hence the album name Temptation.
The album and title track proved to be a massive success. Already, the title track alone has reached 15 #1s on iTunes and the album has reached 32 #1s on the iTunes chart. The music video for “Sugar Rush Ride” also surpassed the group’s debut music video “Crown” as the most-watched music video on Youtube from a 4th generation group.
Overall, this comeback was absolutely phenomenal. Everything about it and its production are high-quality, making every song worth checking out. Although the title track might not be for everyone and will take some time to get used to, I can safely say that this album might be one of TXT’s best ones yet. This album reached new heights, both production-wise and melodically and I am excited to see what TXT has in store musically in the future.
