If you want to kid yourself into thinking this album is spectacular, please refrain from reading because spoiler alert: I’m hella disappointed.

 

I wish I could say this album was everything I wanted and more. I wish I could say I loved it like I’d love my first born child. I wish I could say it was worth the long, extensive, wait. But I can’t. It’s a successful combination of half-assed songs put together to create something that’s too much for me to wrap my head around on how it could have even happened.

 

With such a great debut, so much support, and SM backing their every move, knowing how popular EXO already is (anyone else feel weird calling them a rookie group because they’re already beyond rookie group status when it comes to fans?), how did they produce an album like this? There's no excuse since they had a year to perfect it.

 

The reason I’m being so harsh is because EXO is my #1 group, my babies, etc. They took over my mind in a matter of hours when I first stumbled upon them. There’s no one on earth that wanted this to be the best album that’s ever been released, more than me.

 

There’s a lot to cover, I don’t know where to start. But I’ll give it a go.

 

First off, EXO’s concept. Superhuman guardian aliens of the tree of life, leaving their home planet(s?) and becoming wolf hybrids that happen to dress up as schoolboys a lot? Is that right?

 

The MAMA concept impressed me so much, that I feel cheated that it’s been plucked and plumped into this big mess of who the hell knows what. I’m sure the boys don’t even know what their concept is anymore, they just put on the clothes set out for them and hope no one attacks them at airports, these days.

 

Not only has this concept transformation affected their looks but it’s obviously affected their sound. Considering, they’re still technically a rookie group, I’m surprised by how much these songs don’t sound anything like MAMA. I’m not asking for a complete replica of the mini album but I think, as a rookie group, maybe you should establish your sound first before going off and doing other sounds.

 

It’s almost like SM is so afraid of doing something wrong, they think if they do a lot of things at once, then they’ll make sure every fan is happy. Rather than sticking to one idea and pleasing that group of fans.

 

MAMA was filled with quick lines, fast paced intenseness. It was action flick quality that had me on the edge of my seat no matter how many times I listened through. Every song geared me up for the next one. Whereas, XOXO is such a mix, even when songs do hit me correctly and get me pumped, they lead me into a song that doesn’t meet my anticipation. The voices, the beats, everything about MAMA was perfect. I’m so upset XOXO completely abandoned the beats/synthesizers that got me up and dancing without a second thought.

 

I truly think XOXO is too slow and too pop for EXO. Though they may sing/rap these songs well, it doesn’t feel like this is the real EXO. I don’t think majority of these songs are best suited for them.

 

This album is a half and half mix of romantic ideas and dangerous ideas, which I understand and think actually fits well with the concept because wolves are obviously beautiful yet haunting creatures. But it seems so try hard, at the same time. I appreciate good ballads but the romantic tracks are so saturated with the same ideas, it’s like listening to the same track over and over except with a different instrumental background. And I sense no sincerity behind the words. I don’t feel moved, I just feel like I’m being told to feel moved because that’s how you should feel when you’re listening to a boy talk about how he’s in love and this girl is everything to him.

 

I like “Baby Don’t Cry” and “Don’t Go”’s lyrics the most. And “Wolf”, “Let Out The Beast”, and “Heart Attack” for their more r&b/hip-hop vibes. (Seriously, listening to them makes me want to start up a dance crew and just break it down.)

 

My least favorite from the start, from since I heard the highlight medley, is still “3.6.5”. This is the sore thumb of the album, sticking out like “why am I here? Why do I exist? SM are you drunk?”

 

There’s already been a great handful of people that have compared this to something One Direction would put out and I totally agree. I love me some One Direction but EXO is not 1D and this song confuses the out of me. Why are they singing it? I just... why? It doesn’t add to their concept, it’s not groundbreaking at all. It probably won’t be a single, there’s essentially no benefit they get from this song unless they’re somehow trying to break through in America or Europe.

 

The other song I’m not here for is “Peter Pan.”

 

I feel like there are entirely too many references to Peter Pan in the world. I was never a Peter Pan fan and I’ve seen so many ideas that incorporate Peter Pan immortality and the love between Peter and Wendy, flying and fairy dust, etc. I was over it from the start, to be honest. My dislike for Peter Pan in general gave this song a strike against it before I even listened to it. (But this just a personal thing, so I guess you don’t have to take this point to heart since I’m so biased.)

 

In all, I see no connection between MAMA and XOXO and maybe there didn’t have to be but I feel like if EXO spent so much time building up the MAMA concept, there should’ve been a little bit of MAMA in this. It’s like they’re starting from scratch and debuting again. Literally the only thing that relates these two eras together is the tree of life scene from the “Wolf” MV and that seemed like a desperate connection reach to begin with.

 

But I did love the MV. I’m not interested in MVs usually but I’ve seriously watched this one like a dozen times, not to mention a dozen YouTube reaction videos. I love the song, I love the choreography, and think this is the best all the members have ever looked. (Except, Kai’s cornrows will always bother me because black hair appropriation, but I digress.) (Also, Suho melted my heart in this MV, I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.) Nothing about “Wolf” makes me cringe in the slightest which is ironic, considering fans seem to dislike “Wolf” the most.

 

What worries me about this album is that if this is what they came up with for their second release, there’s no way to even think of how the next mini album or full-length will sound. I have no clue to how they’ll progress after this album, there’s no hint to the next step and it just didn’t get me excited for future releases. I’ll be excited by default because it’s EXO and I love them but I won’t necessarily be excited because of this album.

 

And finally, music aside, I think EXO’s promotion has been done very poorly when it comes to standing out as a group and individual members.

 

When I think of EXO, what comes to mind are airport pictures the most. That’s weird, isn’t it? I’ve watched a few interviews with them and a few random game shows but it still feels we don’t know know them. I’ve only barely pieced together personalities because I spend too much damn time on the internet, going through blogs and coming across gifs and fan accounts. It’s a search to understand these members for who they are and how they act around each other. Personalities are important to me. I want to know who I’m supporting. I’m not afraid to drop my support from musical artists, I don’t care how good looking they are. I might as well be listening to robots if I’m not able to know them as people.

 

But this promotion time around, they seem more confident in the spotlight and radio show and TV show guest spots are coming up, so I’m sure this will all be solved soon.

 

Basically, all I can do right now is dig through the ash and find the few gems I like and hope somehow, everything else grows on me.