I’m still trying to pretend that Tempest’s Dragon doesn’t exist. Others don’t seem to agree with this tactic, as the song has rewarded the group with their highest first sales week yet. Sigh. My consolation is the fact that K-pop album sales don’t correlate with the actual quality of music. It’s all about those photo books.
The weirdest thing about Dragon is that it sounds nothing like any other song on the album. The rest of On and On is very Tempest-esque – bright, funky and melodic. Taste The Feeling is emblematic of this sound, and the agency has been kind enough to give it a music video as well.
It’s a fine line between ‘fun pop song’ and ‘Pepsi advertisement,” and Taste The Feeling leans closer to the latter. You won’t convince me this wasn’t a rejected soft drink jingle repurposed into an idol group track. It hits all the expected marks, from its title to its bounding, vaguely-nostalgic melodies. This blunts the song’s overall effect and keeps it from becoming another Can’t Stop Shining, but Taste The Feeling is still a ton of goofy fun. I’m bopping along even as I’m glancing around to make sure no one else is seeing me bopping along. I guess you’d call that a guilty pleasure? Whatever the case, this is the buoyant energy that fits Tempest best and that alone earns it extra points. The taste of this feeling is relief, and a cautious optimism that Yuehua Entertainment hasn’t completely lost the plot.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
