EXO - EXODUS [MV/LYRICS/DL/DIGITAL PHOTOBOOK/REVIEW]

trying to be productive so here i am with a blog post about EXO's new album! ^^ i preordered the albums but i shall only be able to pick them up next friday because i'm still in Penang. i'll be making an unboxing post, so in the meantime, enjoy this post! ^^

so first of all, the title track Call Me Baby was released on March 28, 12am KST. if you were unaware, the track's sample track was actually leaked and caused a lot of buzz because the original title was Call Me Daddy

so everyone freaked out *myself included* because we all thought sm was in a way bribing fans with a sexy comeback XD in the end it was revealed that the song was gonna be called Call Me Baby, but tbh the song is still sexy so it doesn't really make a difference.

anyway, the track was pre-released and for the first time, i wasn't patient enough to wait for download links like i usually did. i clicked on Mnet's link for the song because i thought why not, i have an Mnet account. i struggled with the site for so long -,- it just wouldn't load! i think a lot of international fans clicked on the Mnet link too...

after an hour of refreshing i tried Melon and it worked! but since i wasn't a member i could only hear a 1 minute preview of the song -,- the struggle was realllll

by that time it was already 1am so i gave up and just slept XD i tried again in the morning and hooomagash it was awesome! *more comments on the song below*

on the 29th a special gift for EXO-L was uploaded on SMTOWN's YouTube channel for only 10 hours. it was First Love (with a Korean and Chinese version as usual). i woke up and downloaded it immediately, but i could only listen to it when i got back to Penang, which was at about 7pm. baekyeol's intro homg it was so subtle but i caught it! chanyeol's chuckling haha XD as for the chinese version i feel like Chen's intro was smoother and Tao's raps were better, but lay's parts remind me so much of Luhan! and Tao's rap part after Xiumin sounds like it would have sounded better if it was Kris!! am i delusional???! why can't i let go T.T

it was a very pleasant surprise because i wasn't expecting anything till the 30th, but i'm kinda confused why it isn't on exodus -,- it makes organizing my music so confusing. is this under exo? is it a single?

i didn't wait up for Exodus to be released on the 30th because i knew that download links would take some time and i had class anyway, so i went to class and only downloaded the album when i got back at night at about 9pm. 

*post update* the MVs are finally out! ^^

here's my thoughts on each and everyone of the songs! ^^

1. Call Me Baby

i kept on thinking to myself that the intro for the chinese version would be so much better if it was Kris and Tao doing it together T.T i was also waiting for Luhan to have a part with his high notes or something T.T oh well. Lay's "Baby Girl' line after the 1st chorus homg! i feel that in this song Baekhyun + D.O's vocals particularly stood out *idk why* and  Baek + Chen's adlibbing at the end was perfffff. although i was expecting something more high and theatrical like in Wolf :O but overall i feel like the song is a jam and its a great song to start fresh with ^^ the harmonies were great and Sehun also has his usual E.X.O part in this song before the rap break XD i cannot, its like JYP always whispering his name XD only thing is...Tao's rap part by the end sounded perfect for Kris...don't hate me for mentioning him so often  but that's what came across my mind...

2. Transformer

Chanyeol's intro homg. the first part was just earporn. i cannot. i think it was Chanyeol and Kai, followed by vocal line. the chorus's beat was okayyyy, i think it would have been better if it was deeper and...harder i guess? the english lines in this song got me feeling a certain why XD those "baby baby baby" + "pretty lady" lines...homg. and baek's "it's killing me baby!" line!!!! again i would have liked it higher but it was perf nonetheless

for the chinese version Tao killed it! i feel like his rapping sounded especially sexy here >< i wouldn't have mined if he sang the whole song~ Lay's vocals stood out for me too and Chen's high notes...i'm a bit M biased so i tend to always think that Chen does them better but that's just me XD i loved both versions anyway so yeah~

3. What If

a slow song, it kinda reminds me of the short snippets that Chanyeol posts on instagram/he once previewed on Roommate. it feels very dreamy and relaxing and i see my self listening to this song as i go to bed *in a good way*. the harmonies for the chorus kinda reminded me of something EatYourKimchi said about SNSD having a power harmony. i think this song showcases their harmony and vocals and i just love love love it ^^ my favourite part of the song is towards the ending and it reminded me a bit of DO's Tell Me What Is Love for a reason :O

for the chinese version i notices that they say shixian a lot. i don't know why but it's more noticeable in the chinese ver...not really a bad thing, just something i noticed~

4. My Answer

the piano intro got me feeling emo T.T and Baek + DO's voices are so emotional i cannot T.T they performed this live for their 2nd concert and i'm just thankful that there's a studio version! this song made my heart feel that way when i first listened to Into Your World in full blast with my headphones at night. let's not forget Suho! i loved his parts too ToT by the end i cried. legit cried. its so beautiful!

Chen and Lay's version was pretty too~ i feel that Chen's pronunciation has gotten so much better, and Lay's singing voice is good but still quite similar to his voice when he sang his old demos. i also have to go check but i don't know who was the other member singing. it kinda sounded like Baek but D.O ughh i have to check.

5. Exodus

EXO also performed this song during their 2nd concert and personally this is my fave out of all the songs they performed. that catchy "Dangerous, She's so Dangerous!/Exodus, It's my Exodus!" got me fanboying XD the chorus is super catchy + Baek's voice is particularly more audible during the chorus and i love it! his "SHE'S DANGEROUSLY HOT" line just killed me ToT you must all understand, i was alone in my room and i was free to scream and squeal so yeah XD

i feel like the chorus in the chinese version has a COMPLETELY different feel because it's Lay's voice that is more audible, but its nice too~ i also think that this is the first song where i heard Xiumin's voice! i'm still bad with picking up voices -,- i THINK i heard Xiumin. Chen's "SHE'S DANGEROUSLY HOT" sounded nice too homg so much niceness i feel like i'm overusing the word. sawry but my vocabulary is quite limited at the moment. just know that this is one of my fave EXO songs ever and i had mini fanboy heart attacks

6. El Dorado

i have been so frickin curious about this song ever since EXO released snippets of it for their debut teaser! i was always curious how the song was gonna be since all i've heard is the intros. the music has a very ethereal feel to it, and plus the beat i thought it was gonna be something normal. i was surprised at the chorus tho! it sounded like this magical egyptian aztec music that could be the background music for an epic movie scene. in my mind i was imagining Mama era Chanyeol with his curly hair in a jungle exploring and discovering a city. i also love the was they say El Dorado. it sounds so smooth and un-koreanish.

FIND THE EL DORADO! Tao's raps were smoother i feel and Chen's high notes are just heavenly. so high and pretty! this is one of my faves on this album ^^

7. Playboy

the intro of this song was shoooo shekshiiii XD i since they're saying PLAY and BOY separately, i kinda ignored the Play and just imagined them to be saying Boy and my mind...went to my otps lol. specially kaisoo XD overall this is a very groovy song? Baek's falsetto OHMYGOD. i have a thing with his falsetto notes. and Kai at the end slowly saying Boy UGHHHHHHHHH *Chen's high note was good too but in this round i think Baek wins ><

8. Hurt

I expected this to be a sad song what with all that's happened with EXO. the into got me fooled though. it switched up and a beat came in and i was just O.O it kinda reminded me a bit of this girl group song that i can't name...that beat at the bridge tho! overall my impression of this song is that it has a very EXO feel~ i don't know how to explain it...

ps. the rap part in the chinese version...reminded me of Kris again. at this point i don't even know how to feel anymore T.T and i kinda feel that M said the last line better *i think it was Tao*.

9. Lady Luck

because of the title i immediately thought of After School's song but homagash. the beatboxing and the low voice intro. can you kill me more? it was shoooo different! i thought it was gonna be light and happy...guess you can't judge a song by its title. 

10. Beautiful

another song from Exo's debut teasers, my first impression of this song from way back then was it was, well, beautiful *how lame can i be*. i've heard the chorus before and this was Suho's solo track on the Exology concert/love cd, so it wan't something entirely new, but i was looking forward to it anyway. i wasn't disappointed. there's this voice Chanyeol makes when he doesn't rap too fast or deep that nice and i heard it a bit on this track ^^

i don't know why but for the chinese version the intro gave me chills ><


after listening to the album i can say that EXO's music has matured and that this full album isn't as experimental as the first one. i also noticed that unlike XOXO, EXODUS has no pop-y pop song, pop ballad or something like Lucky, Peter Pan, Don't Go or 365. i guess they're over that phase and are pursuing stronger beats and more R&B-ish songs. i personally like this growth but i wouldn't have minded if Promise was included in this album. YOU CANNOT LET ME LISTEN TO SUCH AN EMOTIONAL SONG AND NOT RELEASE IT SM. or maybe Lay's still finishing it? whatever the reason i hope it reaches Exo-L soon ^^

so that's my 2 cents on Exodus! i hope you guys enjoyed my word vomit. its almost 12am and i should be on my phone but here i am, diligently typing this post up. aren't i a good blogger *lol*

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD KOREAN VERSION

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CHINESE VERSION

the downloads above include the digital photobook too! ^^

i personally think Chen, DO and Xiumin look the best ^^

GOOD NIGHT!