It must mean something more if everyone can see it. Whatever bingo card of words and sentiments that lifts the soul, even moreso when it is hung on the wall. Yanno, one of the big Army trigger points are their boys being compared to Nsync and BSB, and well, here we are, a song where HYBE have deliberately made a song to compare BTS to NSync and BSBĪt this point, for my taste, the BTS soft fan service songs sound like the aural version of those word art decorations they sell everywhere. BigHit, or should we say HYBE now, added all those layers of vocals just to try to prove a point. And I will take, you I my arms, and hold you right where you belong. This is like “This I Promise You” in tone sentiment and effect twenty years on, evolved for a contemporary production. I fear that Film Out leans more in the latter direction, and never creates the sense of melodic storytelling I’d hope for when it comes to a knockout ballad. J-pop ballads have a history of being melodically rich, but can sometimes come across as meandering. And the lack of heavy-handed vocal processing is also appreciated. I like the use of acoustic guitar – especially when coupled with Film Out’s more chant-like moments. The song injects a few rock touches (courtesy of Shimizu, I’m sure) that help make it pop. They’ve released more resonant songs within this framework, making Film Out feel a bit redundant. Its sentimental style is well-suited to this milestone, though it doesn’t push the guys in a particularly interesting direction. Film Out stems from the group’s upcoming greatest hits album – a format that’s still popular in Japan.
I’m not sure this collaboration bore any real musical fruit, but I appreciate the gesture when it comes to work targeted toward a Japanese audience. The song is co-produced by back number’s Iyori Shimizu, alongside BTS’s own Jungkook. With this in mind, I have to give the guys (and Big Hit) credit for enlisting the help of an actual J-pop legend for new single Film Out. Still, I haven’t been overly thrilled by any of their Japanese singles, which often strip the group of its personality in favor of safe, ballad-friendly sounds.
This has its upsides and downsides, but in general I think BTS have done a decent job making it work. As happens with many world-conquering pop groups, their sound expanded beyond a niche market, becoming more palatable to a wider audience. Taking BTS’s success out of the equation, it’s fascinating to trace how much their music has changed since their 2013 debut.
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