Awkward band name aside, I want so badly to love this debut song. I’ll always be down for an anthemic synth-rocker with three exclamation points in its title. Add a keytar to the mix, weave in an electric guitar solo or two, and I’m sold. K-pop has a vacancy for cheesy 80’s power pop-rock and Catch The Young would do well to capitalize on it.
I’m clearly the target audience for a track like Youth!!!, but its timid production gives me pause. This is a rollicking good time waiting to break free from its self-imposed shackles. The entire track feels so compressed and flattened. This is most evident in the vocals, which fall too far in the mix and beg for a heartier arrangement. We need them right at the forefront, competing with the instrumental (which should also be much more explosive). The song itself is nice and I’m a sucker for pretty much every one of its elements. A good remix (or, honestly… remaster) could turn this into a total highlight.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 7 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8 |
