Album Review: Fromis_9- 9 Way Ticket

Fromis_9 are back to keep their Flover-garden going strong, especially after anothing long gap between releases. This time we’ve got a nice summer album, let’s break right on into it.

The Video

This video for We Go is so incredibly charming, it’s such a cute use of the computer and phone motifs and it isn’t just a gimmick to make the start of the video interesting, it runs throughout the whole thing. I love the way they use the computer and phone concepts too, it allows for some really fun shots and transitions that are so seamless that you almost forget how clever they are. It also gives that summer vacation feeling, that you’re seeing pictures and video from this great trip that the group took, enjoying the plane, the beach, the pool, it all ties together so incredibly well. I actually really give a ton of credit to the editor here too, they worked super well with the director to make this such a well-done video, it could have easily felt amateurish and clunky in worse hands.

The styling is fire, everybody looks great in every single outfit that they’re given, usually there’s a misstep here or there, but this is really spotless in the styling department. The girls also seem to be having a good time with the video, which is good since they had to just trust the concept of the video, and that the director and editor would do well, not quite able to know exactly how it would turn out. I also love the touch that the ignored call is from Flover, just a cute little reference to their fandom.

Rating: 9.5/10

Again, cute and charming to a maximum, really well done on the planning and execution too, as I really think this video could have easily looked really bad if the team behind-the-scenes weren’t on point, this is one of those videos that feels simple and easy, but that’s only because they did it right. Just like Rocket Punch’s Ring Ring, this is a video of the year contender, we’ll have to see how the dark and creative fall releases do, since the fun summer releases are killing it.

The Songs

Airplane Mode- I adore the quieter sections right before the chorus, Fromis does these kinds of sections really well. I also love the ooh-ooh-oohs that feel a little referential to Secret Code from last year. That said, the chorus feels a little too much like it’s yelling at me, and the verses don’t really grab me either, this is a good b-side, but not a playlist must-add.

We Go- Much like it’s video this song is so much fun, very energetic while staying totally controlled, which can be a hard balance to strike at times. I don’t think this has anything crazy special going on, but it’s just super solidly well done, and that’s enough for a song that is there to bring the upbeat summer vibes, this does it’s job, and does it well.

Promise- Man, if this had been made with just a little more energy and a slightly modified instrumental it could have been either a really good R&B or jazzy slow jam, but it’s just too relaxed. I actually think this is an okay slow song in terms of production and performance, but it’s just too slow, not really a song I see myself coming back to, I don’t have many moods where this pace of song really suits me. If you do love this, that’s great, but it’s not for me.

Rating: 6/10

There’s one really good song here, and two that are close, so a 6 seems fair. Remember that a 6 is still positive for me, a 5 is truly average, and if I think something is truly average, I won’t put my energy into writing about it, all good vibes for me. We Go will be getting plays all year, the other two not so much. I’m not usually a huge fan of Fromis b-sides outside of weather though, this is just one of the things where the company’s album direction doesn’t mesh with my personal tastes, even with the producers and members doing a great job for their parts, which they do. That said, We Go also suits its video perfectly, and I love what happened in that combination.