Review: Seventeen offer fleeting distraction with new EP

'œSemicolon,'ť by Seventeen (Pledis Entertainment)

Is it a 'œHomerun'ť for Seventeen?

With special album 'œ;(Semicolon),'ť Seventeen offer some comfort pop.

Punctuation can be difficult, as is putting together a great album. Semicolons are notorious little bumps in the road of run-on sentences. Do they join or do they separate? K-pop's 'œself-producing idols'ť Seventeen take the orthographic challenge of bridging their 2020 with a third extended play but not a full-blown fourth studio album.

The six-track record's strategy is to offer easily palatable fare for this difficult period and what better way than to burrow in nostalgia? First single 'œHome;run'ť is an upbeat poppyfied lindy hop that gets the energy up in the room, followed by a slow burn trap bass line with 'œDoremi'ť; 'œHey Buddy'ť has a playful '80s instrumentation vibe that pairs well with the easy listening aura of 'œAh!Love!'ť; 'œLight a Flame'ť has the whole orchestra pitch in with a Latin-flavored tune while 'œAll My Love'ť catches a whiff of one of those '90s boyband hooks.

'œ;(Semicolon)'ť sums up the entire year perfectly: a little entertainment, a little distraction and, as the hours pass, a little forgettable.