Quick Thoughts: NCT 127 – Fact Check

Update: As of October 16th 2024, Taeil has been removed from SM Entertainment for Sexual Assault allegations. I feel like I need to put this disclaimer on my NCT 127 (and really any NCT related articles where he’s mentioned, I may miss some articles, but this still applies). But I do NOT support him moving forward, and any praise of him in these articles was before this news came out. I hope the victim is able to get justice and has a supportive and loving group around them to help them heal from their trauma.

… I already forgot what I heard, lmao.

So today’s article is the first in a new series I want to try out on here. I first talked about a first impressions article in my September monthly faves article( at the end). So it really was just a matter of waiting for someone to drop something and NCT 127 is the first victim, I mean, first group to release something that works for this series.

I’ve talked about my love/hate relationship with 127’s music direction a few times on here. I’ve made it no secret I prefer 127’s R&B leaning sound more than their whatever genre “Sticker” and “2 Baddies” is.

Fact Check is in this weird purgatory section of NCT 127 music. I think it fits as a follow-up to Ay-Yo repackage in its yass queen give us nothing vibe. I almost forgot “Ay-Yo” happened, 😬.

I think it was around “Parade” I was feeling like I was listening to 5 different songs. I had to keep looking at my tablet to make sure I didn’t miss the transition to the next song.

I love the beat of “Fact Check” and I think it’ll be a fun song to dance to in a live setting. Actually, “Fact Check” is the red herring on this album because it’s the best example of a good balance of rap and vocals with a weird yet addicting beat.

I said to one of my best friends it felt like Stray Kids’ “5 star”. But it’s probably closer to Seventeen’s “Super” with the drums.

“Space” slows things down a bit and goes back to 127’s R&B roots. But the repetition of “space, space” does nothing for me in the chorus. Neither does this clown horn in the background during it. It takes me out of the song, and it just feels not serious, at all.

“Parade”. We’re three songs in, and I’m over it. Going back to the part where I said, “Parade” felt like five songs in one. That’s not necessary a bad thing. We love a “I Got A Boy” moment. But when it doesn’t know when to transition and move into the next part of the song, it feels choppy and jarring.

That’s the difference between a good switch up and a bad one. A good mess feels like the high you get from riding a well engineered and maintained rollercoaster. A bad mess feels like the whiplash and aches you get from a rollercoaster that’s about to be closed due to an impending lawsuit.

There’s this point in “Parade” where Johnny starts yelling his rap, and then I think Jaehyun starts doing it too, man I haaate it. I want to cut the mic. Who okayed that? Dem Jointz? Jam Factory? What goes on???

Then it goes back to Mark and things are fine. That 30 or so seconds gave me the ick. The bridge, chorus, and some of these raps are salvageable. But there’s a lot out of this song I’d take out, and it would improve it greatly.

I like the guitars and rock sound for “Angel Eyes”. That’s about it. This has 80s hairband vibes, but not as catchy as like “Take Me Home Tonight“.

“Yacht” is my favorite b-side off Fact Check. It leans into the 90s R&B sound. The clown horns are used sparingly and work excellently in timing with,”it’s that perfect ocean view”. And the other variations of that line in the chorus. It feels like they’re having fun and vibing in this track.

“Je Ne Sais Quoi” I got about 30 seconds in on my first listen, then skipped to “Love is A Beauty”. I think the beautifully sung bridges and chorus in this song are wasted here. Either make it a rap heavy song or make it a vocalline heavy song, this attempt at merging the two doesn’t work!!

We’re now into the last bit of the album, and we’re in slow song territory. “Love is A Beauty” is fine. “Sun&Moon” and “Fly Away With Me” have nothing to worry about.

“Misty” is my favorite of this slow batch of songs. This is the most downtempo song on Fact Check. I love it. When 127 give vocals, they really put feet into it.

“Real Life” is a song. Idk why it’s the album closer, but it is. I’m done.

This album is such a wild ride. I don’t do number rankings, like 1-10 or 1 out of 5. I’ll just tell y’all the ones I saved, and let y’all go from there.

I saved “Fact Check”, “Yacht”, and “Misty”. Not bad considering I only liked “Designer” and “Playback” from their last album, there’s so progress being made, lol.

If you like this direction of NCT 127, like “Sticker”, “2 Baddies”, etc, y’all are eating well today. Congrats! 🎉🎉🎉

For the girlies who are missing “Touch” and like some of their older noise music songs like “firetruck”, we’re still in a drought, loves.

But what are y’alls thoughts? Do you love it, hate it, unsure? Let me know in the comments. I hope y’all enjoyed this shorter article. I’ll be back with something tomorrow.

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Take Care!

Ash💫