After Four Long Years, Blackpink Finally Releases a Full Album

I’m not quite sure what life is like for those who are not Blinks, the nickname for K-Pop superstar group Blackpink’s fans, but I have been seeing Blackpink everywhere nowadays. The group, which debuted under YG Entertainment on August 8, 2016, consists of members Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa, and Rosé, and they are one of the most popular K-pop groups at the moment, with fans all across the world. They had their US television debut in February 2019 when they performed “Ddu-du-ddu-du” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and since then, they have performed at Coachella, collaborated with a number of American pop stars, and won countless awards, both in Korea and the US. Not only are they at the center of the music world, but the members are also darlings of the fashion industry. Jennie is a brand ambassador for Chanel, Lisa is a muse for Celine and a brand ambassador for Bvlgari, Rosé is an ambassador for Saint Laurent, and Jisoo is an ambassador for Dior and Cartier. They are also the cover stars for Elle US’s October issue with each member wearing their respective brands.

Despite their immense popularity, up until now, Blackpink had not released a full album. Their discography is rather bare for a group that debuted four years ago, much to the annoyance of Blinks, but on October 2, Blackpink came out with “The Album,” an apt title for their highly-anticipated project. “The Album” consists of eight tracks, including three singles and three all-English songs. With features from Selena Gomez and Cardi B and songs that span a variety of styles, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Keep reading for a track-by-track review of “The Album.”

“How You Like That”

“The Album” kicks off with pre-release single “How You Like That,” which is a classic Blackpink that’s upbeat, punchy, and confident. It begins with an intense beat that soon fades as the girls sing over a more mellow part before the beat drops, where it then turns into a more typical Blackpink song, like “Kill This Love” or “Ddu-du-ddu-du.” While the song was fun, it was a bit forgettable, as there’s very little that sets it apart from their previous singles. However, like all their previous music videos, the visuals are top-notch, so there’s definitely no disappointment there.

“Ice Cream” (feat. Selena Gomez)

Blackpink doesn’t normally do cutesy concepts, so “Ice Cream” showcases a side of them we don’t see often. The song and music video features Selena Gomez, who blends in so well with the other girls that she really looks like Blackpink’s 5th member. I can appreciate the fun summery vibe of the song, but I was disappointed with Jisoo’s lack of lines. The song was also very short with uninteresting lyrics, making it somewhat bland. I love when Blackpink does brighter girly concepts, but this fell flat in my book.

“Pretty Savage”

“Pretty Savage” is the first song where Jisoo says the iconic “Blackpink in your area,” and I’m 100% a fan. We also get the hear her rap, and since she has faced criticism for “not being badass enough to be in Blackpink,” I’m glad she got the opportunity to prove critics wrong. Jennie also has her best rap verse within “The Album” in this song, and since I really missed Jennie’s rapping, this song is one of my favorites. The cherry on top is their incredible fits from the live performances, and I’m especially in love with Jennie’s Dion Lee look.

“Bet You Wanna” (feat. Cardi B)

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a Bardipink track, but I knew it wasn’t going to disappoint. The sound reminds me a bit of pop songs from the early 2010s, as it’s bright, catchy, and flirty. While it’s not exactly cutesy, I was expecting more of this vibe from “Ice Cream.”

“Lovesick Girls”

Ever since the teasers for the "Lovesick Girls” music video came out, I knew I was going to love the song. With lyrics like “We were born to be alone but why we still lookin’ for love” and “What are we looking for so aimlessly,” there’s an angsty vibe that Blackpink hasn’t really shown us before. It feels nostalgic and reminds me of 2NE1, the iconic girl group under YG Entertainment that invented the girl crush concept in K-Pop. 2NE1 also happens to be my favorite second-generation K-Pop group, and although no group has been really able to emulate their sound and feel (though many try), Blackpink gets close with “Lovesick Girls.” The only criticism I have is that I wish Jennie had a better rapping part, but other than that, I hope we get more tracks like this one in the future.

“Crazy Over You”

I’m not really sure what instruments are used in the instrumental, but I love the Asian-inspired beat and Jennie and Lisa’s rapping. The lyrics are assertive and although the beat isn’t quite like any other previous Blackpink song, the badass attitude is still there. “Crazy Over You” is the perfect example of the girls trying something new while also sticking to their roots.

“Love to Hate Me”

This song is my personal favorite B-side from “The Album.” Not only is it a great “f*ck the haters” track, but the beat is chiller and more minimalist than the typical Blackpink song. There’s also a bit of an Ariana Grande vibe here, both with sound and lyrics, which I definitely approve of. Rosé and Jisoo’s vocals are also perfect for the song’s smugly confident mood.

“You Never Know”

“You Never Know” serves as a slower, more relaxed, somewhat melancholy closer to “The Album.” It feels a bit disjointed to have this come right after a series of upbeat, confidence-inducing songs, and “You Never Know” also has an abrupt ending. While I like the track on its own, as it gives that classic angsty vibe that YG artists are known for, and am glad that Blackpink has another ballad in their repertoire, I can understand why some people might find it underwhelming. However, I do especially love Jennie’s vocals in this one, and since she’s my favorite member, I’ll listen to any song where she sounds especially great.

In conclusion, “The Album” had some good tracks, but I still wish there were more songs, especially after waiting four years for a full album. Surprisingly, my least favorite songs were the two released before the album itself. I would have loved to see solo songs or songs featuring just the rappers (Lisa and Jennie) or just the vocalists (Rosé and Jisoo). Unfortunately, Blackpink puts out so little content that I’ll just take what I can get, and with three music videos and a Netflix documentary this year, Blinks are certainly being fed more this year than ever before. I definitely love that they covered a wide range of styles with this album, and I hope we can get even more variety in the future.

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