17 CARAT review
17 Carat (2015)
The first part of my SVT discography review! This track-by-track review was written in the autumn of 2022 while I was high, but my opinions haven't changed much.
Ranking system:
🍇 - 10.0 BNM one of their most iconic slays
🍉 - fantastic song that made me feel something
🍓 - eating, a few flaws that are either easy to overlook or a bit charming
🍊 - good background music but i wouldn't seek it out
🍌 - it does nothing for me but isn't outright offensive
🍐 - does nothing for me and is offensive
🍈 - so bad that it almost wraps back around to good just bc i was laffing so much
(note: tracklists are not in album order. they are very loosely ranked)
🍈 Ah Yeah
Um…okay, so the synth in the chorus ijbol who produced this??? Ok woozi wasn't involved w the production on this one and HHU did their lyrics themselves. It's very much a beez in the trap era Nicki Minaj kinda vibe and it's interesting seeing baby HHU's lyrics and flows. Scoups has clunky lyrics but a good flow, Wonu is absolutely out of his depth, Mingyu was only involved a little, and Vern carried but at what cost…Vern's lyrics are already pretty interesting and his flow is fine but he's a child so of course he wants to pull up on wacks with his Mac fully loaded…sort of an agonizing listen due to the lack of a hook. The space where the hook should go is filled with a two-note chant of AHHHHHHHH YEAH! Has historical value.
🍈 Jam Jam
I JUST SHIT MYSELF LAUGHING YOU ARE NOT BEING SERIOUS RN…like I'm sorry but the first 30 seconds of this song is the funniest thing I've ever heard like stop. Vern's rap is kinda good LMFAOO it's very out of place tho. Give you everything you want…everyone is dirty dirty jam Jam? GO DIRTY I JUST PISSED MY BEDDDDD YOU HAVE TO BE LYING ok I'd say this one is more fun to listen to than Ah Yeah but I'm not gonna say it's a good song. It's definitely a song though. Like it exists and is on Spotify.
🍓 Adore U
I mean iconic. The whispering is a bit in-ear. DK's growl is SENDINGGGGG ME he's so enthusiastic. Woozi sells it. They all sell it actually like they're so enthusiastic! The accordion omg it stands out so much when I listen w headphones wtf is WRONG with the second verse? Adore U is lucky to have such a good hook, but the production on that chorus is MESSY…however, Woozi made it and was a child so that makes sense and I will not judge it. Also Jeonghan really sounds like Seungkwan, is that just me? Yeah this song is very catchy and I see why it stood out and got them some clout right off the bat, but I'd rly like to hear a revamped version where they kinda tidy up the production?
🍇 20
I wonder how many of these instruments were played live? It doesn't matter, Woozi most likely made this on GarageBand considering the stock music instrumental and choppiness, and that's precisely why it is so great. This was a group of RAG-TAG MISFITS. Two golden voices, two honey voices, and woozi himself. Every second of this song is the cutest thing I've ever heard in my life and it's one of those rare songs where it did exactly what I wanted it to at first listen. I was like oh please pull up with a good postchorus YESSSSS!!! The effort put into this DIY project is beautiful and the fact that you can see the little flaws in it makes it even more wonderful. It's unique in kpop and could almost be classified as bedroom pop. Green room pop?
🍇 SHINING DIAMOND
From the very first SECOND of this song, seventeen COMMANDED me to become their delulu stannie. So this is all their fault, really. I mean, how am I supposed to say no when they're dancing around like Jackson? But honestly, that chorus has NO right to go as hard as it does, the Chansol outro, oh yes I'm that diamond, slip into the shining diamond life…every moment of this song is the killing part. They put their CUNTS into this, they knew they had one chance and one chance only. And obviously adore u is a better title track for the GP, but this song works amazingly as just … a mission statement for seventeen that still applies today. It's their theme song. It's iconic. Nothing will ever be this song ever again. Cherish it.