Album Review - 8eight – Vol. 3 – the Golden Age

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8eight – Vol. 3 – the Golden Age

01 The Light of My Life - Intro
02 Poor Sunflower
03 Don’t Endure
04 Don’t Have a Heart
05 The Sadness Is Now Enough
06 Numbers
07 Can’t Stop
08 You Said You Loved Me
09 Meeting
10 Freedom

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Consisting of members, Lee Hyun, Joo Hee, and Baek Chan, 8Eight has gained the netizens’ attentions ever since they won first place on the talent show, Show Survival. Since then, the trio has shown their versatility by incorporating both singing and rapping. The group has now returned to the music scene after a year, with their third album, Golden Age. Consisting of a total of ten tracks, the album has songs of various genres ranging from ballads to electronica pop.

The title song "Don’t Have a Heart" is a ballad number with hip-hop beats. The song starts off with beautiful vocals by Joo Hee followed by some deep rapping by Baek Chan. The violin and keyboard in the background definitely adds to the gloomy mood. This is a great track that showcases each of the members’ skills as well as the song’s emotional melody.

There are a couple of songs I enjoyed, "Don’t Endure" being one of them. In contrast to the title track, this song is much more upbeat and lighthearted. The guitar arrangements are similar to that of their debut track, "Forget Love and Sing." I personally enjoyed the chorus sung by member Joo Hee. Overall, each of the members’ voices seemed to flow well with the song. "The Sadness Is Now Enough," on the other hand, is a slow-tempo R&B number with a mellow melody. Made up with a simple guitar arrangement, the song is perfect for easy-listening and Baek Chan’s rap is very soothing. This is probably my favorite in the album.

The last song I want to mention is "Numbers," which is also very enjoyable with its electronica flavor. The upbeat track incorporates synthesizers, but just enough so that it does not get tiresome. Through this song, 8eight seems to be following the popular trends of Korean music today. However, the group continues to keep their own style to it, staying true to their R&B style.

Overall, I must say that most of the songs were catchy. With great R&B vocals, 8eight was able to give off a relaxing yet emotional feeling to their songs which I especially enjoyed. It seems that the trio is gaining more popularity with this third album— I guess third time’s really the charm!

4/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet

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