[MV & Album Review] MONSTA X -- 'Shine Forever'

AKP STAFF

MONSTA X -- 'SHINE FOREVER'

Track List:

1. SHINE FOREVER *Title
2. GRAVITY
3. Ready or Not
4. Beautiful
5. Incomparable
6. Need U
7. Oi
8. Miss You
9. Calm Down
10. All I Do
11. 5:14 (Last Page)
12. I'll Be There

Monsta X's first full album concluded their 'Clan' concept back in March. But before they close the book on that story, they've released the repackage 'Shine Forever'. The album has everything from the previous LP, plus two new singles: "Shine Forever" and "Gravity."

I have to admit I wasn't a �fan of "SHINE FOREVER" at first, but it has grown on me. It seems to be less edgy than some of their other tracks, and my interest flagged. But the more I listen, the more I realize how well it's put together. They still have the two rappers, but the rap parts are longer than normal�and no less aggressive. So, yeah, by the middle of it I was grooving right along.

They slow things down with "GRAVITY," the ballad of the two singles. They take a more soft rock approach on this one. It's sort of standard with only the falsetto to shake things up slightly. The chorus kind of blends into the whole song, so it tends to drag a little, particularly at the end. Out of the two, this is clearly the weaker track.

Overall these two tracks aren't a bad addition to the album. I'm not sure how well they fit, but again, you get two new tracks, plus the original LP. I like at least one of the two singles, and that's about the only time MONSTA X has let me down, really. So yeah, if you're a fan, pick these up. If you're a completist, grab these. And these guys will shine forever.

MV REVIEW

The theme of the MV goes right along with their other MVs. This one appears to be an epilogue to the whole thing. The battle's over, or at least they're sheltered from it in an RV. And they are definitely not singing campfire songs.

They appear to be hiding out, as each boy tries to deal with the pain of their ordeals. Some lash out, others cry, and still, others offer support. Meanwhile, a glowing stick leads them out, and in the field, there are other glowing rods surrounding them. And one of them restores sight to the blinded boy at the end.

This is pure drama, no dancing, no extraordinarily crazy costumes, though a few items in their wardrobe were a bit loud. But ultimately, this MV was meant to bring the feels, as you follow the boys in their travels, and ultimately, the end of their journey.

This was actually a pretty good MV. I liked the foggy forests�and strange rods that appeared to be somewhat magical. It also brings much-needed closure to the story introduced in the first Clan sequence. And it was a lot of fun to see what happened. While it's not as technically good as the first one, I still enjoyed it, and the ray of light indicating a happy ending.