Twice, deemed South Korea’s “Nation’s Girl Group,” has returned with their second full album, Eyes Wide Open. They’re not as known in the west as groups like BTS or Blackpink, but they’ve still made their mark as K-pop royalty.
For most of their career, Twice has been known for their upbeat and bright concepts. They practically set the standard for the modern cute K-pop girl group. But in recent years, we’ve seen a new side of Twice — one that’s much more mature and fierce — and their new album radiates this baddie energy more than anything they’ve released yet.
Fans of Twice have been waiting for this album for months, and our expectations for each song is high. First impressions are everything in music, and here are mine for the tracklist of Twice’s Eyes Wide Open.
- “I Can’t Stop Me”
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The single for the album is what really marks a change for the girl band. The choreography, music video and song all work together to bring something new from them. It’s an ’80s-inspired synth-pop masterpiece that’s meant to be played on repeat.
- “Hell In Heaven”
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Other than “I Can’t Stop Me,” the second song on their album is where the girls are really able to demonstrate their evolution as artists. Since their debut in 2015, Twice has never given us a song as sultry and sensual as “Hell In Heaven.” Personally, it’s my favorite on the album, and probably one of my favorite songs so far.
- “Up No More”
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Though it doesn’t have a music video, the members of Twice have been performing “Up No More” on Korean music shows along with “I Can’t Stop Me” — and rightfully so. The song shares that ’80s feel and works well with the theme that the album has given us so far. Its chorus is energetic and the choreography is satisfying to watch.
- “Do What We Like”
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After playing the first few seconds of the song, it immediately sent a wave of nostalgia through my ears. Listening to “Do What We Like” radiates the same energy as road trips, dance parties and late-night shenanigans with your friends. It feels like 2011 all over again with the electronic pop influences and jumping beat.
- “Bring It Back”
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As much as I hate to admit it, “Bring It Back” is probably one of my least favorite songs on the album. It’s definitely not a bad song, but compared to what the other songs on the album brought to the table, it falls flat. The chorus feels a bit repetitive and the beat drop was a bit plain. Still, the bridge and pre-chorus are what make it worth a listen!
- “Believer”
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While it isn’t my favorite song on the album, I absolutely adore “Believer.” It just feels like a Twice song, as the members’ voices blend together with an upbeat rhythm. It shows how the girl group’s token sound isn’t going anyway as they grow as artists, both individually and as a group of nine.
- “Queen”
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If there’s one thing that Twice will do, it’s give you a chorus that you can’t help but sing along to — and “Queen” does exactly that. With each song, my list of favorite tracks changes. But there’s just something about the experience of listening to this song that makes it stand out so much.
- “Go Hard”
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“Go Hard” really emphasizes the duality that Twice shows in their album; it’s essentially what I wanted to hear in “Bring It Back.” Typically, I stir away from beat drop choruses, but “Go Hard” is exactly what I like in music. Twice has always been heavy on vocals during the choruses of their songs, so it was nice to see them completely own a style that they’ve never done before.
- “Shot Clock”
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The song continued the bass-heavy vibe of “Go Hard” but added an upbeat element. It bears a similarity to the sound of a marching band, and Twice was able to show that they could pull off that concept as well. “Shot Clock” felt like the climax of the album; the energy from Eyes Wide Open was at its peak as this song played.
- “Handle It”
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Twice usually ends their albums with slower-paced songs, and as expected, “Handle It” served as a cool down from the past energetic tracks I listened to. The girls haven’t been given a chance to show off their vocals in a song with a more chill vibe, but “Handle It” finally gave them that moment. As a longtime Twice stan, seeing them take on new genres and highlight the talent of members who normally don’t get that much attention was what made this album so important.
- “Depend On You”
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After hating on “Bring It Back” as much as I did, I definitely like it more than “Depend On You.” My main issue with both of them is that they feel very flat and basic, but “Bring It Back” at least has a beat drop in the chorus that adds even the slightest bit of “flavor.” This song doesn’t stand out to me as much as the others do, and it disappears into the rest of Twice’s discography.
- “Say Something”
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I almost forgot how much I love this song. While more of the album was reminiscent of ’80s synth-pop, “Say Something” paid a perfect homage to ’90s R&B. The song fits perfectly into anyone’s chill playlist. The relaxing rhythm makes you feel comfortable enough to sleep, but the beat makes you want to stay awake and sway. It also ends in a saxophone solo, which always makes a song work in my book.
- “Behind The Mask”
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The final song on the album is an emotional ride. You know the album is about to finish, and you don’t want it to end. But the way the girls’ voices blend with the instrumentals feels like a promise (or a reminder) that you can press replay and experience this masterpiece of an album all over again.
When you follow an artist for so long, you want to see them grow and evolve. As your taste in music changes and you begin to desire new experiences, you want to see the music you love develop with you. I’m fortunate enough that the girls of Twice, who’ve helped me fight through so much in the past five years, have fulfilled that.
Eyes Wide Open is much more than an album. It’s a piece of history — a landmark in Twice’s career that displays just how much their sound has matured. The thirteen songs on the album changed the girl group’s music forever. But the sound that fans have loved so much from them is still there, intertwined with each track’s new beginnings, to remind us that they’re still the nine girls we’ve loved since the beginning.