[Pitchfork] Map of the Soul: Persona

[Polaris_Tae]

MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA

 

                 6.1

 

by Noah Yoo
Staff Writer

 

The biggest K-pop group in the world try to move their sound forward but spend too much time leaning on their past.

BTS are the superheroes of K-pop, a group of seven young South Korean men—RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—who have carried the boy-band torch into the global arena. Formed in 2013, BTS cut their teeth making rap-centric tracks at a time when hip-hop was just beginning to dominate the Korean music scene. Fans were quickly drawn to their musical self-sufficiency, socially conscious messaging, and the 

 of their visuals. Last year, their studio album Love Yourself 轉 ‘Tear’ became the first Korean album to ever top the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, earning them a new level of acclaim rarely seen by “international†artists; the superheroes won the day.

 

 

With the seven-song MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA, BTS are trying to blaze a path forward, further securing their foothold in commercial pop while proving to diehards that they’re still high-minded outsiders who preface their music videos with 

 quotes and reference Carl Jung with the best of them. But the album suffers from sequel syndrome and suggests that the Bangtan Boys are too willing to lean on their past accomplishments. The arrangements on PERSONA are busy and convoluted, and many lyrical highlights are buried in meta, self-referential schlock rock.
The album is bookended with songs built around the kind of inelegant instrumentation you’d find in royalty-free music or internal corporate videos, with big guitars and drums that sound as if they’ve been airlifted in from a downloadable sampler pack. In the case of “Intro : Persona,†the production is built around a recycled beat from the opening track of BTS’ 2014 debut. But to a new listener lacking context, the song comes across as sour and stale, which is a shame considering bandleader RM waxes poetic about his imposter syndrome and recapturing his motivation to pursue music. Meanwhile, “Dionysus†moves from stadium-ready fuzz to a shoehorned trap section to a contrived breakdown, with the members sounding as if they’re being dragged along rather than leading with their voices. And yet this closing track contains the most fascinating lyrics of the whole project.

 

Like Kendrick Lamar’s “

,†a meditation on alcoholism that was co-opted by hedonistic teens, “Dionysus†is a moment of existential introspection disguised as a party-starter. The bridge, rapped by Suga in an Auto-Tuned drawl a la Travis Scott, comments on the banality of stardom, as he applies the drinking metaphor to his desire to create lasting art. “Breaking new records means a fight with myself, raise the glass for a shot but I’m thirsty as I ever was,†he proclaims. The obnoxiousness of the production might be the whole point, but the song’s otherwise compelling concept is rendered largely inert by the grueling music that guides it.

 

 

Where past BTS albums have been anchored by strong verses from the rappers (RM, J-Hope, and Suga), PERSONA feels more disparate. On the forgettable “Mikrokosmos,†members hop on and off an expensive but rickety synth-pop treadmill, never reaching the desired emotional apex. Jungkook, Jin, and J-Hope try to craft a dramatic ballad on “Jamais Vu†but again, the rapping doesn’t feel in lockstep with everything else that’s going on.

In contrast, “HOME,†the album’s highlight, demonstrates how thrilling BTS can be when all the members are on the same page. The flows are dynamic, the interplay effortless. There are callbacks to lyrics found in the band’s debut single (“

â€), but you don’t need to trawl the BTS catalog to find “HOME†captivating, a song about pining for a real connection in the face of outward successes. Elsewhere, the collaborations are enjoyable, but far from spectacular: Halsey (minimally) guests on lead single “Boy With Luv,†and Ed Sheeran (thankfully) stays behind the scenes on the R&B tune “Make It Right.â€

 

PERSONA is not a failure, but it’s tough to call it a triumph. BTS have a deeper understanding of how to capture global audiences than most K-pop groups would ever dream of: Together, the seven members are a mesmerizing unit. When they sound fully in control of their music and in tune with one another, BTS transcend language and culture barriers. PERSONA falters because the band and their producers lose sight of crafting airtight songs in an effort to further the mythos they’ve built within their massive audience.

The best superhero stories are written for the whole world: They speak to both diehard fans and newcomers, tackling the human condition while throwing in nerdy references, delivering an epic experience that unifies people who might otherwise not have anything in common. BTS have already proven themselves, but on PERSONA, the band spends too much time looking back and not enough time being the K-pop superheroes the world deserves.

 

Source

[satoori]

Thanks for the review Pitchfork! I respectfully disagree with some parts.

 

One of the main purpose of this album is a gift/a celebration for Armys. It's suppose to be organic and a sort of throwback album, so yea it's going to reference the past and have similar vibes. Above all I think it's important BTS remember their roots. They put certain songs on their albums because they know it will become fan favorites. 

 

MOTS is still the most cohesive album out of all of BTS albums. It flows very well. I hope they continue this good flow for the next albums moving forward.  Also the vocals have improved even more and sound mature. Plus the rap line are trying new things too. So yea MOTS > Tear. 

 

Note: Maybe If some song were removed from TEAR and put on HER instead, I might think a bit differently about the cohesiveness.

[armyforlife32]

I think Tear is still > Persona, but I really disagree with "forgettable Mikrokosmos", that's definitely one of the best on the album. And even though the beat on the Intro is "recycled," I would not consider it sour or stale. I love it when BTS does throwback to their 90s hip hop roots, it's refreshing from the mumble rap/hip hop popular nowadays.

[BigToe]

i find home more forgettable than mikrokosmos

[freya]

I agree with some of the points here though they're wrong about Persona, Boy with Luv and Make it Right.

[HoMaLiAk]

Though I disagree with some of his/her argument, I applaud  this person because she/he did his research.

[satoori]

Adding on: I guess we might should expect similar reviews about the direction(?), since it seems this series might be a reflection/throwback one, so...

 

Base on where BTS are right now in their careers; the members admitting being pressured about change and wanting to disband due the Western success, getting close to enlistment, and etc...now is a perfect time to look back and celebrate, in my opinion. There's no telling what the future will be like during and after the military period tbh

 

"...the band spends too much time looking back and not enough time being the K-pop superheroes the world deserves."

 

This part though. This is exactly what the members were talking about at MAMA. I hope this review don't completely change BTS outlook on certain things. They don't have feel pressured to be some sort "superhero" for kpop and change their style for the West. As a fan, I want them to continue doing music and concepts they like.

[laevis]

Personally, I find it difficult to rate BTS albums overall because I tend to view it from the perspective of what they want to accomplish through it rather than what I would have wanted to hear. I had really different expectations for every LYS album that came out, and while it didn't match what I would have wanted to hear musically or lyrically, I understood what they themselves wanted to convey so I loved it for that in itself. 

 

I'm a bit more confused with Persona since none of the songs really match the concept given by the title, except for the intro, but if their goal was simply to offer us a throwback album that focuses on fans I can be okay with that too. At the end of the day I enjoy the music and I can appreciate that BTS and I are completely different in our approach of certain themes. 

 

I think Joon's upcoming album review might help us out a lot though, give us some context into exactly what they want us to take away from their new music. 

[LalaLatte]

It's a well-written review, even though I disagree with most of it. Home is a really good track, that I can agree with, probably the most interesting sound-wise in the whole album. Dionysus is the most experimental and risky, people either love it or hate it. 

 

I don't mind the throwbacks at all, so I don't see callbacks as a negative thing.

 

 

"...the band spends too much time looking back and not enough time being the K-pop superheroes the world deserves."

 

This part though. This is exactly what the members were talking about at MAMA. I hope this review don't completely change BTS outlook on certain things. They don't have feel pressured to be some sort "superhero" for kpop and change their style for the West. As a fan, I want them to continue doing music and concepts they like.

 

Agreed. BTS is just BTS and they don't owe anyone anything. They never promised to be anyone's Kpop superhero. Like that interviewer told them recently, I hope they stay true to themselves and never feel forced to change due to someone's pressure.

[ralani]

they didnt LIE....home the only track that really stands out in that collection of bland vanilla tracks

[sasha]

just read it and i must say i agree on most points.

"PERSONA is not a failure, but it’s tough to call it a triumph" is true for me. the biggest upset is that i find lyrics to be underwhelming/the title too ambitious - depends on how you look at it.

album is an easy and unobtrusive listen, mv is cutely uninspired and truth is i wouldn't become a fan if it were my first encounter with bts.

i'm looking forward to the rest of the series though, hope it's going to be more my speed

[Lamington]

Base on where BTS are right now in their careers; the members admitting being pressured about change and wanting to disband due the Western success, getting close to enlistment, and etc...now is a perfect time to look back and celebrate, in my opinion. There's no telling what the future will be like during and after the military period tbh

 

"...the band spends too much time looking back and not enough time being the K-pop superheroes the world deserves."

 

This part though. This is exactly what the members were talking about at MAMA. I hope this review don't completely change BTS outlook on certain things. They don't have feel pressured to be some sort "superhero" for kpop and change their style for the West. As a fan, I want them to continue doing music and concepts they like.

 

[coval]

It's a detailed review with lots of research so I can respect it while disagreeing with some parts.

Person & Dionysus definitely aren't public friendly but they were made for armys & are fan favourites.

Home definitely deserves all the acclaim though

[Sdm]

I do agree that newcomers shouldn't have to dig into their old works in order to understand/appreciate some of the songs.  That's always a negative in the eyes of a critic. 

 

I also wish they didn't bother with the whole Carl Jung Map of the soul theme if the whole album was meant to be something dedicated to fans. It would've worked much better as a stand alone album dedicated to revisiting their past.

They could've done a full album and repack related to this theme later on. But that's just my opinion, maybe they have a point that I've missed... hopefully joon with explain in a vlive.

 

That being said I love all the songs they trashed and don't like home that much ( mainly cause of the auto-tune) so disagree with the review there.

[urhandsrnaughty]

Honestly, after listening to the whole album, what really stood out to me was how unpolished the production was. It kind of shocked me tbh, since BTS is huge and there's no reason for the production to sound too amateurish(?), I can't find a better word to describe it.

 

The songs did sound noisy for the most parts. The vocal production reminded me of 2ne1's 2009-2010 music. Too much stacking, too much auto-tune, you almost never hear just one voice singing, it's almost always one prominent voice layered with two or three other distorted vocals. Plus, for some reason, they have this habit of unnecessarily sneaking in that auto-tuned squeaky falsetto in the background, which, quite frankly, does not sound pleasing. There's also way too much going on in the instrumentals. Again, the songs just didn't sound polished, and BTS should definitely have the budget to refine these things.

 

The songs were good tho. I liked the intro and Make It Right.

 

Oh, and this is unrelated to the album, but BTS should really let that whole BTS story line/universe thing go. I feel like that's just doing too much and it's really unnecessary. It can also turn off a lot of potential casual fans since it sometimes translates to their performances, music videos, and songs as well.

 

I remember watching their Fake Love music video last year and all the theories and whatnot just turned me off. I thought the music video was way too dramatic for what it was, then someone explained to me that it's because it was tied to this whole story line, and then I thought the story line with the time travel is way too dramatic and pointless. I'm good with an album having its own story, but a story that carries through several albums is a lot to handle for casual fans.

[Saint Twice]

Tear is still their best album to date but Persona is a close second for me. 

[Hera Lee]

I'm not an expert so I'm not gonna object Pitchfork. Obviously, their experts have own opinions which are more reasonable than mine 

 

 

Personally, I think MOTS is the best album BTS have ever released.

And tbh their title track BWL is the most forgettable and least favourable for me. 

 

The album itself is magical, cos it somehow includes old Bangtan and new Bangtan, but at the same time manages to stay cohesive and organic 

[coval]

Oh, and this is unrelated to the album, but BTS should really let that whole BTS story line/universe thing go. I feel like that's just doing too much and it's really unnecessary. It can also turn off a lot of potential casual fans since it sometimes translates to their performances, music videos, and songs as well.

 

I remember watching their Fake Love music video last year and all the theories and whatnot just turned me off. I thought the music video was way too dramatic for what it was, then someone explained to me that it's because it was tied to this whole story line, and then I thought the story line with the time travel is way too dramatic and pointless. I'm good with an album having its own story, but a story that carries through several albums is a lot to handle for casual fans.

It's really not that deep imo

Most of the theories are only fan speculations & armys making a spider web outta of numerous eras.

They're just easter eggs that bighit love to throw in but they don't actually hinder the experience or enjoyment of the music.

I never kept up with the story-line/universe thing you're talking about and I've never felt "left out".

[Hera Lee]

Adding on: I guess we might should expect similar reviews about the direction(?), since it seems this series might be a reflection/throwback one, so...

 

Base on where BTS are right now in their careers; the members admitting being pressured about change and wanting to disband due the Western success, getting close to enlistment, and etc...now is a perfect time to look back and celebrate, in my opinion. There's no telling what the future will be like during and after the military period tbh

 

"...the band spends too much time looking back and not enough time being the K-pop superheroes the world deserves."

 

This part though. This is exactly what the members were talking about at MAMA. I hope this review don't completely change BTS outlook on certain things. They don't have feel pressured to be some sort "superhero" for kpop and change their style for the West. As a fan, I want them to continue doing music and concepts they like.

 

BTS aren't obliged to be anyone's superhero.

 

And it's a little bit strange that expert-nims got disappointed that BTS didn't live up to their expectations.

 

Like... people should expect smth from just themselves no?

 

Anyway, I hope BTS will stay as BTS and will do whatever they want to do.

[Franny]

Not at people saying it is well-written and shit. He did zero research and missed the whole point. Like at least read lyrics, before spewing nonsense. Especially exposed his lack of research with Superhero part. Such a disappointment.

 

Maybe next time someone who has actual experience with reviews (and has reviewed more than 1 album as a music critic lol), can properly research and is neutral (not biased and part of other fandom) can review like they did with Tear. 

 

 

EDIT: Also, wrong section OP 

[cantnobody-]

i'm honestly not surprised.

 

the thing is bts' one of the biggest strenghts is their individuality and the fact that everyone of them can contribute. and it's great, it's just this - coupled with their need to produce stadium songs (like idol or so what) doesn't lead to cohesive album. which isn't a bad thing neccessary but when you go with lore and "concept" it doesn't really click.

 

arctic monkeys did an album last year loosely based around the hotel and it feels way more cohesive than tear or persona ever did. 

 

 "PERSONA falters because the band and their producers lose sight of crafting airtight songs in an effort to further the mythos they’ve built within their massive audience."

 

here i disagree, tear was way worse in this aspect.

[satoori]

Oh, and this is unrelated to the album, but BTS should really let that whole BTS story line/universe thing go. I feel like that's just doing too much and it's really unnecessary. It can also turn off a lot of potential casual fans since it sometimes translates to their performances, music videos, and songs as well.

 

I remember watching their Fake Love music video last year and all the theories and whatnot just turned me off. I thought the music video was way too dramatic for what it was, then someone explained to me that it's because it was tied to this whole story line, and then I thought the story line with the time travel is way too dramatic and pointless. I'm good with an album having its own story, but a story that carries through several albums is a lot to handle for casual fans.

Did you watch the new MV? 

 

Also as someone said, at the end of the day we're not required to follow the theories to understand and like their music. It's just a added feature. People like you seem to be easily distracted by others. Just ignore theories if you do not like them tbh lol

 

Many casual fans do not even do much research, not even for the lyric translations sometimes. They're just here for the the cool beats and nice visuals. haha Which is perfectly fine too <3

[urhandsrnaughty]

Did you watch the new MV? 

 

Also as someone said, at the end of the day we're not required to follow the theories to understand and like their music. It's just a added feature. People like you seem to be easily distracted by others. Just ignore theories if you do not like them tbh lol

 

Many casual fans do not even do much research, not even for the lyric translations sometimes. They're just here for the the cool beats and nice visuals. haha Which is perfectly fine too <3

 

Yeah, I liked it. I thought it was cute, and I think it also has more replay value than the two they released last year.

 

But I love how their newest MV is so far from being grand or high budget. I think people expected them to really go big to break the YouTube record, and they just went "nah, we'll just do our thing."

 

As for the theories, of course no one's required to follow them. However, if people can see it in the music video, for example, it's hard to ignore. Like I said, I found the Fake Love music video too dramatic and over the top for no reason, but apparently the reason is because of the story line they have going on, or so I was told. I also thought the same about Run I think? I forgot the actual song title.

 

And how am I easily distracted by others? The only person who explained it to me was my younger cousin who happened to be a BTS fan. She's the one who keeps showing me their videos.

 

For sure, I could just ignore the theories. Which I do. Heck, I've ignored BTS for a long time because of it. I was simply saying that it is something that could turn off people from becoming casual fans, and I based that solely on my experience, so it's just a personal opinion.

[Muddy]

I checked twt for a couple of minutes and I saw a couple of ominous tweets asking people not to get angry at the review and I went there ready to read a review worse than it actually is, to be honest.

I am not a native English speaker but to me it seems that the writers of those reviews try to use as complicated a language as possible, more than other articles. I don't know though if it is an individual preference or a way to give more validity to it but it tends to happen a lot.

Having said that, I am not surprised by this review. I knew  opinions were divided as to whether the album is good or not. I spent more hours than I usaully do on the internet and I read so many different opinions on the album to know that.

 

I have seen a lot of people say that the lyircs or even the music are not BTS (something that never fails to make me raise my eyebrows) and that it has nothing to do with the concept. My take on this is completely different. To me it shows a more mature BTS or a BTS that is trying to talk about this things. And as the album is called Persona, I didn't expect them to delve really deep into their Persona because this is what that is, what they let us see and not the whole picture. I don't know if I am reading more into this than I should.

And the world doesn't need any kpop superheroes and certainly BTS should not be the ones to do this job. That comment seemed so wrong to me, I can't even start. But since it is there, I have to say that every superhero has a story and universe so it makes no sense to ask them to forsake theirs. Fans should get into it instead.

 

At the end it is just a person's opinion and I totally respect it. It takes nothing out of my enjoying the songs and feeling that it brought something different which is always a plus in my book.

[souffleg]

I disagree with it and I don't think it's well researched at all, Tbh, this album is transparently a throwback Album, from the title of the tracks, from the lyrics [suga citing himself with the big cars, big rings] musically like the intro taking from SLA and even visually with the mv, it's a conscious reflection on the past and the reviewer didn't get it all, he basically saying they recycled because they lost creativity when it was a conscious effort at a throwback, it's fine if 0he doesn't like throwbacks but he should not make it sound like it was lack of ideas.

I also really find pretty puzzling when he talks about them not going at superhero level when they clearly reject the title in the title track(they say i was so little and now I'm so big.... World order? No I just want to keep you safe) and the album is them talking about the little things that anchor them between the lights of the stage.

No shit it's not superhero level, it was never intended to be

I did my fair amount of reviews and if my main point reviewing a ya about, idk, relationships with adults was God, I wish I was reading an epic fantasy I wouldn't be getting a good grade.

To me he totally missed the point and minor gripe that show the lack of research was the bit about hip hop starting being popular in kpop in 2013, seo taiji was heavily influenced by hip hop in the 90