TXT is once again stepping into the world of webtoons! The five-piece has just dropped their rendition of the popular song “Goodbye Now,” originally performed by 015B. The song, which appeared on 015B’s 1991 album Second Episode, has become a mainstay during graduation ceremonies in South Korea since its release. It’s a fitting song, as TXT recorded their version in collaboration with Naver Webtoons and its webcomic series Love Revolution. The series will be reaching its conclusion in April and will see the main characters graduate from high school.
The biggest difference between TXT’s version and the original is their more 80’s ballad sound whereas the original opts for a largely piano-led arrangement. From the sparkling synths right to the soaring guitar riffs throughout, the track is formulaic in its approach. While on one hand it’s solid and focused in its direction, it’s very predictable for any listener who has heard an 80’s love song. Like the original, TXT includes the chorus of voices for the climax of the song, adding to the song’s adopted role of bringing graduating students together one last time before moving on to their future ventures. Each member delivers a solid vocal performance, executing both softer and stronger parts with conviction. The song is bittersweet, with lines like “Goodbye is not an eternal farewell / It’s a promise to meet again,” and the group carries that message well with their performance.
With that said, TXT’s cover definitely feels like a cover. While they did switch things up going for a more dreamy sonic landscape, that’s really the only thing that sets it apart from the original. It’s always interesting when an artist does a cover to see what they do to make it their own, but with this release, there isn’t anything that makes this sound like TXT. Now, for all we know, they could have wanted to just make this a pretty straightforward cover, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it just makes the song predictable and less engaging. It’s a release that does it’s job, but it doesn’t go much further than that.
