Fresh off their pre-release Burn It, FTIsland are back with the title track of their seventh (!) album. This is a band firmly in control of their sound -- an established pillar in the industry. To my mind, this confidence makes the perfect excuse to experiment with new approaches, but Serious sees them delivering a comfortable blast of radio rock.
A sense of theatricality buoys Serious, adding flashes of symphonic bombast that make me wish the track had been paired with a full strings section. An additional texture would have lightened the song's overall tone. As it stands, Serious plods along with almost funereal intensity. It feels overly heavy, dragged down at every turn. This is probably intentional, though the lyrical theme seems to demand something more triumphant.
I appreciate the skill and energy that went into Serious. Lee Honggi's vocal remains superior and I'm happy to see the band still churning out new music, but this song just isn't for me. Its sound is too leaden and the repeated "why so serious" hook feels cliché -- especially when compared to their best work.
| Hooks | 7 |
| Production | 8 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 7 |
| RATING | 7.5 |
Grade: C
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