I remember a time where male idols went off to serve their mandatory military conscription and didn’t (or weren’t allowed?) to promote during this hiatus. Nowadays, it’s common for these idols to pre-record entire albums and videos to dole out while they’re away. The only thing that’s missing are music show performances! Cha Eunwoo enlisted earlier this year but we get a new solo album from him today alongside funky title track Saturday Preacher.
“Saturday Preacher” is a very interesting title. I thought maybe it was an established phrase, but Google yields no results. I guess the intension is that Eunwoo is preaching a good time on a Saturday night, which I can certainly get behind. As much a bonafide star as he is, I’ve never thought his voice had much of an on-record presence, so trussing it up with a heavily produced disco arrangement is a smart choice. And as expected, Saturday Preacher‘s best moments are when it goes most electronic and surrenders to the well-placed use of a vocoder.
I wish Saturday Preacher had more of a chorus than the simple pair of repeated melodies we get, but its instrumental swirls with an effervescent energy that’s hard not to love. In contrast, the verses are dull and perfunctory, killing time on the dancefloor before the disco ball descends. This is a mixed bag, but its jubilant centerpiece is enough to make it all work.
| Hooks | 8 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 8 |
| RATING | 8.25 |
