[Music Review] ‘SPILL THE FEELS’: It doesn’t get more SEVENTEEN than this

As always, the 13-piece K-pop boy group’s album is largely self-written and self-produced. The entire album follows the theme of love, with each song exploring a different side or phase of this complex emotion.

SEVENTEEN ‘SPILL THE FEELS’ Concept Image. Image: PLEDIS ENTERTAINMENT.

On October 14th, the day after their successful two opening concerts for their new world tour Right Here, SEVENTEEN released their highly anticipated 12th mini album, ‘SPILL THE FEELS.’

Written by Woozi, Bumzu, Vernon, and Robb Roy, the title track's name "Love, Fame, Money" sparked slight controversy among a sub-group of SEVENTEEN fandom, as it seemed like something the always down-to-earth group would never produce.

Fans speculated that the group's music was being influenced by DJ Khaled, who co-produced the song alongside Bumzu and Woozi. But titles can be deceiving. 

Even though the name suggests the boy group is boasting about fame and money, SEVENTEEN stayed true to their roots, releasing a song promising they could let go of fame and money for one true love. Whether they are referring to CARATS, their team members, or a secret someone(s), is debatable: "Choosing love over money and fame is easy to say but hard to do. Without deep, genuine love, it can feel impossible. So, how do you love, and how do you express it?"

"Love, Money, Fame" is quintessential SEVENTEEN — light, breezy, fresh, and optimistic. The only thing missing from the title track, which could have made it one of their best, is their iconic "SEVENTEEN right here" tagline.

Instead, the song features DJ Khaled’s tagline, "We the best music, another one, DJ Khaled," not once but twice, which feels tacky due to its association with meme culture.

Watch the official music video for “LOVE, MONEY, FAME (feat. DJ Khaled) here.

‘SPILL THE FEELS’ could easily be considered an album with two title tracks. While the choice of the title track is always up to the artist, "1 TO 13" might have been a better pick for their 12th Mini Album, as it would be the group’s last OT13 album for a while. 

Debuting in May 2015, SEVENTEEN consists of 13 members. The word ‘promise’ is often used by their fandom, CARAT, to reference the ‘shining promise’ that SEVENTEEN made with their fans.

With the catchy melody and heartwarming lyrics like: "From May, my every season has been you," "I used all thirteen parts of my heart, just be by my side," and "The thirteen promises I made / No matter what happens, I’ll keep them for you," the song can be interpreted as both a message to CARATS and a tribute to the group itself.

"Eyes On You," the third and final OT13 song, is another EDM bop that, based solely on musicality and catchiness, could have been a strong contender for the title track. However, lyrically, the song falls short. 

Verses like: "Meaningless conversations are nice because of you / Give your first wound to me / Tell me more about yourself / I want to know you without any hesitation" would have been considered top-tier in another artist’s track. But compared to Woozi and Bumzu’s Shakespeare-level poetic lyricism from the past, the lyrics of "Eyes On You" feel generic and overdone.

Since SEVENTEEN's debut, the vocal unit's songs have always been ballads on all their albums. For ‘SPILL THE FEELS,’  the vocal unit’s track "Candy" fits the love theme of the album perfectly. 

SEVENTEEN ‘SPILL THE FEELS’ Concept Image. Image: PLEDIS ENTERTAINMENT.

The song describes a sweet, mellow love — one that doesn’t require long explanations, where just one word and a tight embrace are enough to make the lover feel better. The jazz-esque piano instrumental and mellow melody tie the song together. "Candy" also has great potential to be featured in a slice-of-life anime or a winter-themed K-Drama.

Co-written by Hoshi, Dino, Woozi, and Bumzu, the performance unit’s track "Rain,” which also carries an EDM sound, explores a different side of love — the side seen after separation when one hopes for their memories to be washed away in a cold rain shower. 

"I can't explain my heart that has frozen / I can't explain my heart that has rusted / (Don't stop the rain) my memories too / (Don't stop the rain) until it can erase them." Despite the melancholic lyrics, "Rain" has a sensual and raw feel making it perfect for live dance performances.

The final track on the album is the hip-hop unit’s song "Water," which bears a striking resemblance to one of SEVENTEEN’s most popular tracks, "ASH." The shared techno sound may be the reason for the similarity, however, a bigger reason behind the likeness could be Vernon, who co-produced as both "ASH" and "Water." 

In terms of the song's meaning, the rap verses, written by S.Coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Vernon, are proud but not boastful. The song speaks about the relentless fight to keep crossing oceans and the ambition to keep improving: "When I break a sweat / high places are advancing / surfing, surfing, I keep advancing / don’t worry about falling." It doesn't get more SEVENTEEN than this.

Overall, ‘SPILL THE FEELS’ is a light and breezy album that is not only easy to listen to but also offers variety in terms of genre. Each song sounds distinct and has its own vibe, and the lyrics are well-written, adding depth to the overall experience.

Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.

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