Keep On Going with Super Junior
Super Junior has made their return with their 11th album, The Road: Keep On Going - The 11th Album Vol.1, following the release of their first special single album, The Road: Winter for Spring on February 22. According to Siwon in an interview with Billboard, Volume 2 of the album will be released at a later date. Consisting of five new tracks: “Mango,” “Don’t Wait,” “My Wish,” “Everyday,” and “Always,” the songs on The Road: Keep On Going mix the old with the new, creating a refreshing yet familiar sound that E.L.F has loved and heard across the group’s long-lasting career.
Opening the album is title track “Mango,” a fun, funky pop song with a heavy bass-driven backing track that, according to vocalist member Kyuhyun, is about “wanting to become the love … for someone looking for love.” Despite being performed by all the members, the song itself has a very strong Super Junior D&E feel to it with the melody and vocal arrangement, especially of that in the chorus—perhaps Donghae opening the song with his smooth vocals plays a part in this thought, too. But just like what the lyrics say, the song is “sweet just like a Mango, it feels so nice” to listen to as it is one of the tracks on the album that gives Super Junior that exciting sound that is both new yet familiar.
One thing that seems to be recurring in K-Pop music videos lately is the rooftop backdrop. We saw it in Stray Kids’ music video for “Miroh” in 2020, in KARD’s music video for “Ring the Alarm” last month, and now we’re seeing it again in Super Junior’s “Mango,” with the music video opening with the members standing along a rooftop with both the group’s name and the song title written in neon lights behind them. These neon lights are just one example of the colorful nature of the “Mango” music video as the entire video has a super colorful concept that perfectly matches the fun and upbeat nature of the song. There are a lot of purple, red, and orange tones throughout, and tropical, floral images in the background of the sets and on the members' clothing. Of course, no Super Junior video is complete without the fun group choreography we see in all of their videos and the special-awaited appearance of member Heechul midway through—“Mango” certainly doesn’t disappoint with either of these.
The second track on the album is “Don’t Wait,” which Super Junior released as a pre-release single in the run up to the album. This song carries the classic, throwback Super Junior sound that is fun and cheerful, with an interesting synth sound that is reminiscent of the song “Dakota” by Welsh rock band Stereophonics. Like the song, the music video is fun and playful and sees the members competing against each other through dance, trying to win the heart of a woman played by one of the members. See if you can guess who.
The album then continues with third track “My Wish,” which differs from the upbeat notion of the previous two songs, with it being a romantic pop ballad with a beautiful piano and whistle backdrop, before going back to the upbeat sounds with fourth track “Everyday” being a romantic alternative-rock track with heavy pop and EDM elements. Closing the album is “Always,” a song that was written for E.L.Fs about the love Super Junior and E.L.Fs have for each other. This track is a ballad but more on the upbeat side compared to “My Wish.” The verses of “Always” carry sounds that I can imagine fourth generation K-Pop groups singing to end their concerts with, while the chorus is very much true to Super Junior’s usual style, perfectly mixing and completing the album with the old and the new.
Overall, The Road: Keep On Going - The 11th Album Vol. 1 is an album that shows Super Junior’s love for their fans and loyalty to their own music style. As mentioned previously, the album balances a new style of music for Super Junior while simultaneously offering the same sounds of music we have heard throughout the group’s career. It’s a fun album with both energy and affection, and I can’t wait to hear what’s next for the second installment.
Listen to The Road: Keep On Going - The 11th Album Vol.1 on Spotify and all other streaming platforms today.
Edited by Aleena Faisal