Sherlock, Why Did I Ever Overlook this EP? (Reviewing Every SHINee Album Part 4)

In March of 2012, SHINee released their fourth mini album after a long hiatus from activity in Korea. I was a senior in high school, preparing for college and life beyond adolescence. But that didn't stop me from soaking up this comeback. This album has a sort of special place in my heart since I actually bought the physical copy of it in Korea. I was in the Incheon airport for a layover and I picked the CD up at one of the shops there. It was nice not to pay for importing or shipping fees.

1. Sherlock (Clue + Note) - The whispers of SHINee's back to open the song have become a refrain that brings comfort to Shawols the world over. The song itself has a unique, bombastic vibe, while maintaining a mysterious air, befitting of a song named for a famous detective. The backtrack features a high whistle, the sound of breaking glass, and a big brass vibe, all adding to the drama. The song is actually a hybrid remix of two other songs on the album, and while you can hear the distinctive styles of the two songs, it's pretty cohesive.

2. Clue - The opening of this song is the same as the opening of Sherlock, since it is one of the two songs that were combined to create the title track. It has the breaking glass and the high whistle. At first, you may think that they just put the same song on the album twice. Of course, the chorus is different, and the second verse with Taemin's scratchy vocals makes this track stand out. The bridge is incredible, with some scatting from Jonghyun! That is by far the my favorite part of the song.

3. Note - This song is the other half of Sherlock. This song brings that big brass sound and lends its chorus to the title track. I'm not sure which half of the title track I like better, though I do enjoy the outro from Note quite a bit, since it has an old school vibe when Jonghyun encourages us to "give it up for SHINee!"

4. Alarm Clock - Jonghyun wrote the lyrics to this song and Minho contributed to the rap verse. There's a whimsical motif of a fluttering flute, reminding me of wind and fantasy, but otherwise, the instrumentation is pretty standard R&B for SHINee. I like the breathy, high pitched bridge at the 2:15 mark, and as always the harmonies are lovely. Minho's rap, which, as I mentioned, he wrote, is sensual and masculine sounding to conclude the song.

5. The Reason - The song opens with the sound of a sort tinny electric guitar, leading into softly sung vocals that ramp up into a crescendo of SHINee's trademark harmony in the chorus. The backtrack is unique compared to some of SHINee's other ballads, with some interesting sound effects in addition to the more typical, simple beat. The song sounds like it belongs in a romantic musical movie. An electric guitar solo in the middle is followed by a more acapella sounding chorus, the vocals accompanied only by that simple beat. It's really impactful, as SHINee's vocals really do stand on their own!

6. Stranger.- One of SHINee's best b-sides, in my opinion, Stranger is loud, fast, and unapologetic. It has a heavy, electronic beat, with dramatic, high-pitched, almost robotic vocals. The verses are sung with the cadence of rap, but with musicality of melody. I love the dramatic instrumental break before the softer, pretty bridge that ends with Jonghyun's most iconic long, high note. As I said, the song is fast and unapologetic. You don't get a moment to breathe before Minho starts rapping. I recommend watching a live performance of this one!

7. Honesty - This song is pretty, with nothing more than an acoustic guitar to accompany the vocals. It's very sweet and romantic sounding. Taemin's ever-improving vocals are on display. Onew sounds amazing, his voice soothing and easy to listen to while still being technically impressive. Key's thick, heavy vocals contrast well with the softer sounds of Taemin and Onew. Minho even gets to show off his vocal abilities, proving that he's more than just the model/rapper. The song is apparently a tribute to fans, and though I don't know Korean, the sentiment of the song still reaches my heart. I wish that they would do more acoustic songs like this, since their voices stand on their own without complicated compositions. Minho's rap at the end is wonderfully, heartfelt, tender way to conclude not only the song, but the EP.

Though I have fond memories of purchasing this album, I don't really remember listening to it all that often, but it does feature some of my favorite SHINee tracks, like Sherlock and Stranger! And listening to Honesty for the purpose of writing this review made me reconsider it as a potential candidate for my favorite SHINee "slow" song. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by my enjoyment of this EP. SHINee has literally never disappointed me!