REVIEW: BTS - BE

 4/5

BE-TS

Exploding like 'Dynamite' just when you thought they couldn't blow up anymore, the only thing that breaks more records than BTS is the Guinness Book. Streaming into the multi-millions on Spotify and YouTube. Even with South Korean sister act Blackpink (there's room for both Big Hits and YG's) in your area with 'The Album' and the movie, 'Light Up The Sky' on Netflix, these boys still burn the stage, despite their worldwide sold out tour being locked and shut down due to coronavirus' quarantine. They still move millions like donating that much to the Black Lives Matter movement and then having their ARMY of fans up the ante by raising and matching that million dollar pledge, all whilst shutting down any racist troll that came Twitter or social media's way with anything to say that didn't support George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and every black person's life that matters today, yesterday and tomorrow, forever more. BTS are no stranger to movements, telling everyone to 'Love Yourself' and making us all idols in the process. Giving love and hope to a world in depression and the epidemic rates of suicide, especially in the Far East and South Korea. This groups dynamic helped save my life...as the kids say FACTS! Showing matter and pride in your race in what is no longer and never really was a white man's world. Especially in a time were Hollywood and the great American songbook no longer rules the entertainment planet like it once did. You only have to look at this year's Academy Award acclaimed Best Picture and foreign film category changing, script flipper and game changer, Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite', Oscar. Or just what the Bangtan boys and "BLACKPINK" are doing to music and foreign fans in the one direction of the West singing along in Korean, akin to Beatlemania for the cute ones like an Ed Sullivan bowl-cut and tailored tribute on Colbert. Put those two fingers together everybody. South Korea rules and these are the spokesmen. Covering TIME magazine and speaking at the United Nations like not only the world, but the generation we're talking about is theirs. 

2020 has been the worst. Welcome to the understatement of the year. It's been tragic when it should have roared old sport. From losing the Black Mamba and Mambacita, to the Black Panther. And then being infected with COVID-19 and police brutality. But we as a people, brothers and sisters, united in solidarity together have shown fight and togetherness in this struggle. Like voting Trump out and bringing Obama's hope back and doing all we can to still stay embraced at an arms length social distance. Or how we can find ourselves and a new way to work, Zooming across the world from the comfort of our living room and sweatpants, staying as safe as houses at home which we should still do if we can, when we're not taking to the streets in face masks and sanitizer. BTS have had quite the calender too. That is also quite the understatement, but during these times the most respectful one. Back in February they were 'On' with an ARMY 'Louder Than Bombs' with their seventh seal and a road map that looked to pave the way for an epic year of entertainment to set off the new roaring twenties, 'Map Of The Soul' like a boy with luv for the biggest boy band ever from these in sync backstreets that have fans from everyone from Halsey to McConaughey (and me). Spreading their wings like a Natalie Portman 'Black Swan' in a year that has seen studio success for artists going back to the drawing board with their strokes, from Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' wilderness roots to the 'pink 'Sour Candy' of Gaga's out of this world planet 'Chromatica', despite cinemas being closed and sports shut down until they bubbled like we'll never shut up and dribble. "Jump up to the top LeBron" as these young Kings take the throne like James Lakers gang or a Colman crown on Netflix with a young dirty Diana dancing like an M.J. not named Jordan in this last dance. Hot off the heels off this 'Map', Suga took it back to his D-2 rap roots with his own alter-ego album like a Rap Monster 'Mono' mixtape of 'Forever Rain', or a J-Hope 'Chicken Noodle Soup' with Becky G and a soda on the side and shrine to all that and Korean culture video, 'Daechwita'...which still remains the banger of the year and these boys collective career. Even with all this 'Dynamite'. 

Now as we just 'BE' to end this year we want to see the back of like watching her walk away, BTS release their latest 8-track in a year were they stayed gold with another big single and a Japanese version of 'Map Of The Soul: 7' for their Far East neighbours who think Twice when it comes to choosing Spotify streams over the Tower Records of actual albums (salute!). Sharing the name with the 'Let Love' amazing artist and Coltrane of hip-hop Common's classic and conscious genre game changing album, this soulful affair is set to bring the love back in a time of hate too for part two to their own beautiful revolution, televised and smartphone vlogged. Consider this a victory lap in what should have been an Olympic year for these idols with love who released their biggest hit and first English language single with 'Dynamite' that is blowing up so much, so many people who used to fail to understand are now lacing their boots for the army. Stranger things have happened. Just like the 80's fairground like America's Got Talent live performance that saw Junkook pass the mic to a roof rocking RM ("ladies and gentlemen I got the medicine, so you should keep your eyes on the ball"...now how do you like that?) who passed it back to a gas station dancing J-Hope in a red shirt, classic Coca Cola Americana in this firework carnival of choreography step and note perfect. In what would have made the perfect music video if it wasn't for the B'pink 'Ice Cream' like pastels of the outstanding official one for their candy coated anthem that stopped fans in their tracks with Tune Squad, 'Space Jam' throwback too even if they were eating donuts. Dunking all over the competition BTS are "rolling on like a Rolling Stone", bigger than King Kong in what's now their Empire State. Diamond glow up. "Dy-na-na-mite" like Chappelle, rocking and dropping mic's on Saturday Night Live. The pop stars still able to rock them like the rapping roots of who they really are. Like the delight of the 'Dis-ease' track they dias with ease and no need for translation like the fun feeling of their 'Skit' that laughs like a Nelly '5000' when 'Pimp Juice' was hot in heeere, welcoming us to 'Nellyville'. Showing us that just going full English for a one off gimmick, this extended play is more than a spark to set 'Dynamite' off, but instead another firecracker of a collection to ass to their classic catalogue. Like the sublime second single 'Life Goes On', as in matching white suits, sitting on stage in black chairs for a black and white movie, music video these boys shows us this band is still on the run, mixing music hallmarks and their own testimony to the tradition. Showing rhyme for rhyme they still have that kinetic 'Telepathy', before the beat goes on and these Bangtan bangers 'Stay' in the club like their dance moves were made for. But 'Fly Me To My Room' as that very track and the beautiful ballad, 'Blue and Grey' may be the pick of these eight wonders like 'Your Eyes Tell', mapping their way home. As getting persona personal they sing, "I don't know where it went wrong/Since my youth, I've had a blue question mark in my head/Maybе that's why I've been living so fiercely/But whеn I look back, I'm all by myself/That hazy shadow that swallows me up/The blue question mark still exists/Is it anxiety or depression?/How am I so regretful?/Or is it just me, one that loneliness gave birth to/I still don't know, the ferocious blue/I hope I don't erode away, I'll find the exit", showing that in the deepest depressions and the most inspired impressions this collective like the whole K-Pop genre know how to take it deeper than bubblegum rhymes, swallow their pride and reveal who they really are behind all they've made up and fashioned in gender and idol fluidity. Fighting the darkest feelings head on. Now if that isn't original and outstanding, I don't know what is. Let's hear it for the biggest influencers who wouldn't even need an Instagram to be double tapped into. "What's good Korea?" These idols are even bigger than Nicki Minaj, or Cardi B rhyming with Blackpink. Now everyone knows what a BTS is like a WAP. Get the Grammy ready. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Playlist Picks: 'Dynamite', 'Life Goes On', 'Telepathy'.