Buried Treasure: Just B – Get Away

A K-pop group’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.

Just B’s Damage does a lot of things that usually bother me in K-pop, but I remain fascinated by it. That rugged electro distortion and those constant layers of vocal chants really pull me in. The song brings capital “D” Drama, and that’s the case for album-opener Get Away as well.

Both songs are composed by B.A.P’s Bang Yongguk, and his influence is obvious. In Get Away’s case, we’ve got a brilliant rock backbone. B.A.P often explored rock music – most notably in debut-era singles Warrior and Power. It’s thrilling to hear this sound make a resurgence, even if Get Away never finds a hook as indelible as those two classics. Still, I hope Yongguk continues to work with Just B. They can serve me B.A.P retreads all day long and I’ll be happy!

After a rumble of sinister bass, Get Away’s instrumental fills out with metal guitar, filtered choir-like backing vocals and a heavy stomp. The production is super fun, harnessing the kind of over-the-top energy K-pop has often made its name on. From here, the track is more “chant” than “song,” with a chorus that’s largely throwaway. But every once and awhile, the guys deliver a shot of vocal firepower. My favorite example happens just after the first chorus, as a dynamic melody sweeps us into verse two. The track eventually devolves into an electric guitar fueled dance breakdown, and that’s just fine for a performance piece like this. However, I’d love to see the guys take this energy and find an equally strong song to go along with it.

Hooks 7 Production 9 Longevity 9 Bias 9 RATING 8.5

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