SHINee – Romeo

Romeo is a mini-album that is filled with the pains and anxieties of teenage love. The “noona” loving group have returned with a slightly more mature sound and lyrics that seem suggestive and cocky, yet still convey a hint of innocence. As the name of the min-album suggests, SHINee are the “Romeos” of the love story. Each song tells the story of the girl they love and how they yearn for her.

From the attitude-filled Talk To You, where they try to gain the affection of the girl, they put aside the “competition” with cockiness. The beat is heavy and the attitude is very much arrogant without being annoying. Following is the single track of this mini-album, Juliette. A dance track that is filled with many sounds and a fast tempo, the song contrasts the fairytale idea with reality. Ideally, the girl will fall for “Romeo's” charm when he shows her how much he desires her alone. When Juliette finally becomes Romeo's, the love story will reach its happy conclusion; yet real life is different and problems occur.

Hit Me tells the story of the first fight in a relationship. Romeo is distressed and wants to apologize to his Juliette but doesn't know how. In the anguish of waiting for her to call, he would prefer for her to hit him than having to worry if she will return. Its message is very much shown in the soft melody of the song and the regretful voices.

One of the must fun tracks from this release is Senorita, a song that is influenced by Spanish flamenco music, with strong guitars, hand claps and castanets. An added bonus is the unexpected Spanish spoken in the beginning. Its fast pace distinguishes itself from the rest of the tracks. Romeo here is mystified by his Juliette, and doesn't know if he is being taken back or if she is only playing with him. They are doing a dance around each other with out exactly knowing what is going on.

The only ballad of this mini-album is Please, Don't Go. This track really stands out, and not just because it is the only slow song. This is a ballad between Onew and Jonghyung. Perhaps the better vocalists of the group, despite their young age they are very much in control and they manage to make this song spectacular. There is a uniqueness to Jonghyung's raspy voice and his great range is demonstrated here. The feeling of despair and longing is clearly felt.

Concluding this mini-album is Romeo+Juliette. This song may well be the best on the album, perhaps because it is a bit rough and unexpected. One cannot really say where the song is going yet the beat takes you in. With suggestive vocals and Minho's sultry and deep voice, the track is effortlessly sexy.

There is a clearly red thread in this mini-album, and the concept is clear and cute. Although they are not steering far from the sound of their first mini-album, The SHINee World, SHINee is still very much a group that mixes R&B, pop and the occasional ballad. They rely on these aspects, their forte, and perhaps because of that this is a mini-album that may require several listens to really enjoy it. On a first listen the release may feel too similar to their first mini-album. But the six tracks are easy to listen to and the album flies by suprisingly fast. If you give the album a try, you'll undoubtedly grow to appreciate the familiar sound.