REVIEW ALBUM REVIEW: TWICE– “MORE & MORE”

BlueNose

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ALBUM REVIEW: TWICE– “MORE & MORE”
Written by: BlueNose and Dragon of the West
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After a nine-month hiatus since their last release, Twice are back to show a new side of themselves just in time for the summer. With new writers taking the helm of the album composition, many fans and non-fans were interested in how the album and title would come out. Especially after 2019 being successful in bringing a new western/international audience to Twice with 'Fancy' and 'Feel Special'. So their first comeback of 2020 had many eyes to see what would they would do next.



'More & More'



BlueNose: "More & More" is a Tropical House inspired track that's perfect for summer and their first time having producers MNEK, Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, and Zara Larsson work for them. The song opens attractively with members Nayeon and Mina leading the introduction and then allowing Tzuyu and Momo to take the lead. From there the tropical house vibe becomes more obvious with the chorus of the song and its true excitement and bright energy taking over, giving the track the staple Twice feeling. Personally, the parts that really got my attention were Tzuyu and Jeongyeon's parts in their respective verse which gave the song a very entrancing mood to it. While it is not one of my favorite Twice songs because of a few issues I have with the execution of the track, I do believe that "More & More" is still an enjoyable song- especially when watching the performances.
6.5/10

Dragon of the West: Being the album's eponymous title track, More & More presents itself as the group's first attempt at having a tropical house single. The composition of the song is quite unique in comparison with their previous releases, especially with it having a new producer in MNEK, but it still manages to have that TWICE flair that we've all come to associate with them over the years. The pre-chorus is without a doubt the part that stands out the most to me, and the rap verses from Dahyun and Chaeyoung were also quite well done. Unfortunately, the chorus lets itself down by being a bit too repetitive. It might just be the fact that "Fancy" and "Feel Special" were both amazing singles that came out last year, but this might be one of those instances where the title track is overshadowed by the b-sides.
7.5/10



'Oxygen'



BlueNose: "Oxygen" opens with a beautiful, almost angelic "nanana" from Mina and adlibs from other members, then the song kicks into a poppier aura that's great for summer. I always love when groups have a similar section in a song, but they switch the members who sing it to keep things fresh. In "Oxygen" the members who switch are Jeongyeon and Tzuyu in the pre-chorus. The track has a lot of interesting bits throughout the song that really dresses up everyone's vocals in a way that I don't think I've heard before in a Twice b-side before. I wish the drop in the chorus had a little more power and drive, but otherwise, I think the track is an amazing addition to Twice's discography, and it's one of my favorite b-sides on the album. It really takes the listener to interesting places, while keeping the song likable and not delving too far into experimental.
9.5/10

Dragon of the West: We found out on the day of the comeback that "Oxygen" was a contender for the title track position on both the "Feel Special" and "More & More" albums- and honestly I can see why that was the case since it does have that signature TWICE sound. It's a perfect summer song and I really hope they get to perform it live at least once during this year. Major props to the production team for managing to get all members to shine on this track and have it stay balanced. Chaeyoung's rap verse would have been one of my absolute favourites from her if it had been 8 bars instead of just 4, but I do enjoy how it leads into Jeongyeon's part. All in all, I can see why 4 out of 9 members picked this as their standout b-side.
8/10

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'Firework'



BlueNose: "Firework" has a tropical house mixed with a Latin pop type of style with the cherry on top being Twice's influence to keep the cohesion going. The opening of "Firework" with the Latin guitar really gives life to the song- it feels like the sun is setting as you're looking off towards the ocean. This track is one of the most different for the group- never did I think they would touch on the Latin pop trend and do it as well as they did. Nayeon, Jihyo, and Jeongyeon's lines especially truly took the song to a new level for the choruses and I feel like they shined the most. Additionally, Tzuyu beginning the bridge was quite surprising to me as it usually isn't her getting bridge sections. Thanks to the vocal line (Jihyo, Nayeon, and Jeongyeon), the song really gains this heavy and passionate aura that really lives up to the name "Firework".
9.5/10

Dragon of the West: Talk about making a point with your first-ever Latin inspired song! Starting off with those Spanish guitar strings and some outstanding verses before finally leading into a very funky chorus, this song just further cements my belief that a good summer album needs a great Latin track to accompany it. I can't even begin to express how happy I am with how much Chaeyoung gets to shine in this song because the girl really deserves it! It would honestly be criminal if this track never gets an entire performance. I would have probably been overjoyed if it was the album's title track- and while that didn't happen this time, I do hope the great reception it's receiving from fans and casuals alike will lead to them experimenting more with Latin sounds.
9.5/10



'Make Me Go'



BlueNose: "Make Me Go"continues the sultry feeling that "Firework" started. With the lyrics written by Nayeon, the song is definitely as sensual as it sounds. The synths in the pre-chorus just before the chorus drops are gorgeous, and the vocal work — spearheaded by Jihyo — throughout the song is perfection. Mina's soft whisper tone and accent truly fit the first chorus- and really is what makes the song special to me. I wish there was more drive in the song to push it forward, because I feel like, after the first chorus, nothing else is too interesting. However, since the song itself created such a strong atmosphere from the get-go — thanks to the heavy bass — it doesn't matter too much for general listening in my opinion.
7.5/10

Dragon of the West: When we heard the short snippet of this from the highlight medley, we all knew it'd be one of the best b-sides on the album, and of course, it delivered. This song leans more to the sexier side compared to most of their other tracks, and that brass just further elevates that aspect of the song. The synth right before the second pre-chorus was a really nice addition. It kinda feels like an upgraded version of HOT the more I listen to it. Gotta love Mina getting some English lines! Also, I still can't get over how Nayeon wrote the lyrics for this in one day while being bored. The talent just jumped out of her yet again. Always love hearing TWICE singing in lower pitches than usual.
8.5/10

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'Shadow'



BlueNose: "Shadow"is a nice chill track with pleasant synths to follow being hit back to back with the first four songs of the album. The song is almost solemn, both sound-wise and lyrically. The lyrics tell a story of wanting freedom and being who you naturally are. This is easily one of the best utilized moments of Momo in Twice's discography — this particular range fits her quite well. This isn't my favorite track on the album, but I can see the appeal in its execution.
8/10

Dragon of the West: Right from the moment when I saw that LDN Noise worked on this song, I knew I was gonna love it given their past record at producing songs like SHINee's "View" and f(x)'s "4 Walls". It's easily one of my absolute favourite tracks from 2020. The synths in the background during the chorus are so minimal but still work amazingly well. Momo's low register on this track is exactly what other producers need to utilize in other songs. Similarly to "Firework", this could have been the title track and I'd have been more than satisfied since its only crime is the fact that it's so short. Nayeon mentioned that she hopes they get to film a music video for "Shadow" and perform the song live on stage, so I hope there are people at JYPE who are working on making that a reality.
10/10



'Don't Call Me Again'



BlueNose: Starting with heavy brass that calls me back to something Beyonce or Jay Z would've done in the 2000s, it was building up being one of my favorite songs on the album. However, the drop in the chorus doesn't feel like a good enough pay off after the strong verses and the build-up in the pre-chorus. Afterwards, it begins to fall flat to me personally. I can see why they wanted to put this song on the album, but it just doesn't deliver for me. The vocal line, plus Mina and Tzuyu really stand out throughout the song to me.
7/10

Dragon of the West: This one's probably the song that had me least impressed, but that's not to say it's bad or anything, just that it isn't great. It doesn't seem to flow in well with the rest of the album. The horns do offer a great build-up, but later end up feeling too repetitive. The pre-chorus is easily the only saving grace for this song, at least in my opinion. The lyrics for the song do standout though with lines such as ''I just think about you without a conscience // So please be like a stranger // Oh, there was a lot of talk and a lot of trouble // Your story and mine are really over now'' which clearly show that the song emulates a relationship that's reaching its end.
7/10



'Sweet Summer Day'



BlueNose: Another favorite song of mine on the album. It's a nice throwback to Twice's old sound without feeling too out of place in the album. The happy-go-lucky, 90s-esque sound is both fresh and nostalgic for Twice fans, so it is the perfect album ending. The catchy refrain and saccharine vocals make the song feel summery. I don't know why, but I think of tangerines when listening.
9.5/10

Dragon of the West: We're going with a new jack swing kinda vibe for the final song - which honestly, has been a long time coming. The retro vibes tied in with the funky bass, and topped off with that signature TWICE sound that you'd expect in some of their older albums- what more could a long-time fan ask for? This is the perfect song to close off the album since it ties in their past and present sounds while also being a really addictive summer bop! Gotta be honest, when I listened to the preview, I thought I was gonna be impartial to this song, but here we are just weeks later and it's already one of my favourites on the whole album!
8/10

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Closing Remarks

BlueNose:
Overall, I feel like this album is one of Twice's best yet. The girls try a lot of new things and things I never knew they would touch on. A lot of fans have noted that the album has more of a western sound than what Twice normally deals with. In my opinion, this is because of the EDM/house-ish influence throughout most of the songs, but I think the group had an overall successful effort at the new style. Everyone had at least one moment in the album, if not multiple moments, where they really shined and uplifted the song to a better place. Twice started off their 2020 strongly, so I anticipate what they will do next.

__________________________________________________

Artistic Creativity: 8/10
Vocal Quality: 8.5/10
Music: 8.2/10


8.2/10
__________________________________________________

Dragon of the West:To conclude, while I did feel a bit let down by the title track, this album makes up for that tenfold through the quality offered by the b-sides - in particular, "Firework" and "Shadow". The album is arguably their most Western driven one yet, which was expected upon seeing the producer lineup when the tracklist dropped, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing since it shows how they're able to pull off several different sounds. It has been a great start from them in 2020 and I'm looking forward to what they're able to offer with their (rumored) full album later in the year.

__________________________________________________

Artistic Creativity: 8/10
Vocal Quality: 8.5/10
Music: 8.4/10


8.3/10
__________________________________________________


PROOFREAD BY: @lex.
GRAPHICS BY: @yerm
 
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imaslave4tzuyu

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Thank you for this extensive and awesome review! :love:

I love the bsides in More and More and I am happy to see them getting love and validated online. Firework, Oxygen and Shadow are the top bsides also basing at how fans received them online and other platforms!

I personally love Make Me Go as the spiritual successor or sister of Love Foolish! I love them singing in their low tones which is so different from what the public know them for.

I hope people get to know and listen more Twice bsides they are seriously good T.T
 

Whisky23

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Thumbs up from me! More&More is also not my favorite Twice song (FANCY!!), but watching other Onces react positively to it, especially Western Onces, makes me appreciate it more. Certainly, old-timer Onces will have our musical biases and preferences when it comes to Twice, but for people new to Twice, it's not a bad introduction.
 

BlueNose

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Thank you for this extensive and awesome review! :love:

I love the bsides in More and More and I am happy to see them getting love and validated online. Firework, Oxygen and Shadow are the top bsides also basing at how fans received them online and other platforms!

I personally love Make Me Go as the spiritual successor or sister of Love Foolish! I love them singing in their low tones which is so different from what the public know them for.

I hope people get to know and listen more Twice bsides they are seriously good T.T
Yes! Twice’s bsides are seriously good. I wish ppl gave them more of a chance :sanapray:


Thumbs up from me! More&More is also not my favorite Twice song (FANCY!!), but watching other Onces react positively to it, especially Western Onces, makes me appreciate it more. Certainly, old-timer Onces will have our musical biases and preferences when it comes to Twice, but for people new to Twice, it's not a bad introduction.
There’s been a lot of positive reactions, even if M&M isn’t immediately my favorite, i definitely appreciate the love it has gotten from newer western onces! i think i fit into the old-timer once sphere, having been here since pre-debut and loving their old sound. But I don’t want them to go back to the old sound at the same time, I really wanna see them keep up with the new one and pull it off well like they have been so far.
 

Stannie

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Wow, 9.5 for Firework. Is this the moment where I disown Bloo lol jk

After a month of going back and forth between my mixed feelings toward the title track, I've come to accept that M&M isn't anywhere near my favorite Twice track. It's not even about sounding too western - I just can't seem to warm up to empty chorus and the arrangement. Speaking of which, I've come across this rearranged version that actually sounds better than the original imo




Anyhow, I still appreciate the fact that they're trying out new things instead of being complacent.

On the brighter side, though, the bsides themselves are superb and have solidified the album as my favorite Twice album to date. There's no skip for me, even DCMA.

Firework and Shadow are hands down my favorites, with the former edging out a bit. I think Firework should've been the title track. Ugh, truly a missed opportunity to try out something new with good quality at the same time. I would've been happy with Shadow as the title as well, though it might need some tweaking to lengthen the song a little. (Now I reaaally want LDN Noise to produce their next title.) I find it interesting, though, that while the fandom doesn't seem to like Make Me Go as much, it seems to be a favorite among nonfans and casuals. Oxygen and SSD serve their purpose as nice summer tracks as well. I'm not mad Oxygen wasn't the title track, though. Love the song and think it's a solid bside but making it the title track after Fancy would be a step back to the Twice 1.0 sound imo.

Thanks for the review, BlueDragon!
 

BlueNose

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Wow, 9.5 for Firework. Is this the moment where I disown Bloo lol jk

After a month of going back and forth between my mixed feelings toward the title track, I've come to accept that M&M isn't anywhere near my favorite Twice track. It's not even about sounding too western - I just can't seem to warm up to empty chorus and the arrangement. Speaking of which, I've come across this rearranged version that actually sounds better than the original imo




Anyhow, I still appreciate the fact that they're trying out new things instead of being complacent.

On the brighter side, though, the bsides themselves are superb and have solidified the album as my favorite Twice album to date. There's no skip for me, even DCMA.

Firework and Shadow are hands down my favorites, with the former edging out a bit. I think Firework should've been the title track. Ugh, truly a missed opportunity to try out something new with good quality at the same time. I would've been happy with Shadow as the title as well, though it might need some tweaking to lengthen the song a little. (Now I reaaally want LDN Noise to produce their next title.) I find it interesting, though, that while the fandom doesn't seem to like Make Me Go as much, it seems to be a favorite among nonfans and casuals. Oxygen and SSD serve their purpose as nice summer tracks as well. I'm not mad Oxygen wasn't the title track, though. Love the song and think it's a solid bside but making it the title track after Fancy would be a step back to the Twice 1.0 sound imo.

Thanks for the review, BlueDragon!

U can’t disown me 👀
And same.. I can’t look beyond the empty chorus
Wow had no idea MMG was a favorite with nonfans and casuals, at least someone appreciates.
If oxygen were gonna be title, i would want it to have a few tweaks. As it is now, makes a great bside, but it doesn’t have a overwhelming appeal a title should carry.

I think one thing i love about the album reception is that there isn’t a clear favorite song between fans, casuals, and nonfans. Like everyone seems to have a different favorite song depending on who u talk to, compared to past twice albums where i felt like there was always one or two overwhelming favorite/hyped tracks. So that leads me to think that they did a good job at album creation, that no one can really agree on the “best” song of the album

I’ve heard Zsunder’s remixes/edits/revamps before, and i think he tends to do a great job. I like how his version isn’t as jarring into the chorus, and the chorus isn’t as empty. His idea of the dance is pretty good too... i kinda agree with u, he fixed up the track as best he could
 
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