No Sleep Album Review - The Book of Us: Gluon
So, today is a big day. I don’t know if you’ve picked this up about me, but I really like DAY6. I joke, but today their sub-unit debuted and the day has already been packed full. I’ve stayed up all night to be able to watch all the comeback related things live, to watch the music video release and listen to the rest of the album. Jae had a surprise stream with his friends and it’s been a lot and I’m on a bit of an emotional journey because DAY6 is one of those bands that I have a strong connection with their music - especially these past months. They have been a great source of comfort and have helped me a lot and so it’s exciting that new music is happening and that there is a lot going on.
I would normally not do this but against my better judgment I, in my no sleep state, will be reviewing the album. I’m sure that when I go sleep and come back to this post I’ll see that no sentence makes any sense and all my interpretations are wrong, but this is what we’ve decided to do.
But first, watch the teaser video, as it ties a little with what is going on:
Now that you might have a slight feel for what you are getting into with this album, without further ado, the No Sleep Review of Even of Day (DAY6)’s The Book of Us: Gluon.
*Just a note, at this time I can’t really find any of the English translations for the songs past the title track. The Denimalz parts are in English, but the distortion makes it hard to pick up the words. I’m going in blind, so I’m just using the music and the way they produced and set up things as my guide. Having lyrics would have helped, but alas. The album has only been out for like three hours.
Rejoice, theatre kids: Even of Day has put out an album that is one step closer to our dreams of a fully written DAY6 musical. And this one is with glorious 80’s synth-pop romcom flair. I can’t describe to you accurately how much I enjoyed the musical journey of this album from start to finish, but I’m going to do my best to convey that.
01. Landing -Intro
This album is really set up as a journey that is kind of imperative to listen to straight through and not jump around. The intro is a prime example as it sets you up for this wild ride you are going to be entering. It’s almost self-aware in that it’s essentially the music we’d be sitting through in the opening credits. I was worried how these Denimalz songs were going to work, but they really leaned into the theatricalness of it all and it really helped aid how it worked within this album. You can literally hear the curtain opening with the music.
02. Landed
I want to first comment on how perfect of a pick this style was for Young K and Wonpil’s voices. It complements them so well. This song is almost like the start of an unplanned road trip, where you’re hopeful and excited about the journey, even if you are a little apprehensive. You don’t know what’s going to happen but you still have hope for what’s ahead of you. The melody helps that with the overall even rise and fall of the vocal lines that aren’t abrupt and allow for the full arch to happen within the verse. It also has a youthful hopefulness to it with the repetitive background beat, which is a theme that DAY6 alludes to a lot with their Book of Us series (and fitting that the unit is the maknae line). I can see blasting this in the car with the windows down just enjoying the scenery.
It’s the calm before the storm. Nothing bad has happened yet, but everyone is getting comfortable - the beat is repetitive with simple harmonies and the whistling helps with that sense of complacency. I also the love hearing the gradual shift from the calming waves to the rain. Rain always happens when you don’t expect it, and unexpected bumps in your journey happen that mess up what is just an ordinary day. There’s a lot in this one to convey what’s going to happen next and yet it’s wrapped up in something so simple.
04. Where the Sea Sleeps (title)
Don’t get me wrong. I love the 80’s synth pop vibe we’ve got going on the other songs. It’s great. But this song is good. Good good. Like probably going on my top list of the year good. This one still has the hints of that synth, but leans more into an R&B sound and I’m just so into it. I need you to stop what you are doing and watch the video at the 3:24 mark so you can hear the build up to the harmonized runs that they do that are just magic and perfection and I can’t get enough of it. Young K said in one of his lives when describing this song something to the effect of “Sad songs don’t always have to be sad” and it just perfectly describes the song. The longing for the rough patch to be over, but the fight to weather it out and do it together is hopeful. The song is not as sad to just listen to, but pairing the video with the lyrics is another story. You just have to watch to get it, especially all the times they tied in Sungjin and Jae’s Denimalz. Ughhh.
One thing that I’ve really enjoyed about these interludes is that because they aren’t heavy lyrically and the vocals have been distorted and lowered it allows the focus to be on the background beats and serve as a really great solo for Dowoon. I don’t know if the intention behind the song was this, but to me this song embodies “seeing the forest through the trees”.
06. Thanks To
I know I’ve already said this, but it bears repeating that this was such a good style fit for them. Young K and Wonpil’s voices really compliment each other well, as well as allowing Dowoon to shine and this one showcases it a lot. I also like that this song is structured like an ending song. It’s got a lot of thankfulness and hope. Even songs like ‘Landed’ had a slight sense of uneasiness, while this song is expressive and really is a love letter of thanks in the form of a song.
Both this and the intro are the most theatrical and serve to intentionally break the fourth wall. Jazzy and with a vaudeville theme. I just imagine the three Denimalz with top hats and canes onstage in front of the curtain. The perfect outro.
I’m going to go out on a limb and state that this album might be my favorite one in terms of the album as a whole concept. While the songs can stand alone, I think they lose some of their charm when they aren’t accompanied with the others and played in succession. They made a lot of the right choices with picking the musical style that most complimented all three members while keeping it fresh and different from what they’ve done before with other DAY6 albums. It’s still a DAY6 album but this really serves as a great stand alone to showcase the unit, and yet still bridge the gap to keep it in the Book of Us universe. Did I expect anything less from them? No. But it’s still nice to hear happen.
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