CNBLUE - 2gether

I. Introduction

2gether is the second studio album by South Korean pop-rock idol band CNBLUE. It was released on September 14, 2015, under FNC Entertainment. After ending domestic promotions for Can't Stop (2014), the band concentrated on individual activities; most notably, frontman Jung Yong-hwa released his debut solo album One Fine Day (2015) in January. The remaining band members sought out opportunities in television, particularly in acting, variety show appearances, and MCing. In August 2015, it was announced that CNBLUE would release its second studio album after an absence lasting one year and seven months. With 2gether, the band decided to change the direction of its music; it stripped itself of the acoustic tracks it was known for and explored electronic dance music in order to create a particular color and form a distinctive sound.

II. Critical Reception

2gether was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. Writing for Billboard magazine, columnist Jeff Benjamin felt that the similarities between CNBLUE and Maroon 5 were "more striking than ever", noting that it "may position them to be more internationally appealing than ever". In spite of the change in direction of the band's music on the album, Benjamin observed that the "sentimental songwriting" and "vivacious energy" persisted within the band. In a 10asia article where three staff individually picked their favorite song from recent releases, Park Soo-jeong named "Domino" as the highlight of the album. Commending the yin and yang harmonization between Jung's "dreamy vocals" and Wheein's "feminine and lucid voice", she took recognition of the "immensely vast range of Jung Yong-hwa's musical spectrum".

III. Track Listing

IV. Music Video & Audio