[ALBUM REVIEW] Take 2: We Are Here - MONSTA X


MONSTA X return with the sequel to Are You There. Does this third full-length album pay off? Here's a quick review of each track.



Intro - We Are Here: This was featured on the preview film prior to comeback day. Intro music to get your heart pumping.

Alligator: Title song which plays with the alligator character. Being pulled in a swamp when you recognise one another. Strong feelings...you get the picture. Even the choreography has some alligator movements which you could imagine quite easily. The title of this fierce song will be hard to take seriously and the song itself is a grower after a few listens. The MV is a feast for sure.

I enjoyed the video's references to the previous songs such as Dramarama (Hyungwon with the stop watch and sitting on his throne like in Shoot Out). Even Rodeo referenced No Exit. Alligator has become another successful single in the music shows, scoring first place a few times since the group made their comeback. Check out the original choreography by FreeMind by the way.

Ghost: Being swallowed up by your own reflection that is almost like a ghost who has the same face as yourself. I admit this was one of the songs that stood out to me when I first heard the album preview on Starship's channel. The chorus is catchy with the repeated ghost lines.

Play It Cool (feat Steve Aoki): One of the other songs performed on the comeback stages and it is incredibly funky that it could potentially serve as a comeback single in its own right. It's a fun song about enjoying one's selves together as they go travelling to exotic places

No Reason: This song reminds me of I'll Be There from the Clan part 1. It's a little more upbeat and touching. The only difference is that this song is about the end of a relationship without much reason and it is simply a bye bye because perhaps the love one seeks isn't in this actual relationship.

Give Me Dat: Going from the title you can probably tell the song's beat is going to be slightly harder than the earlier tracks on this album. A special person enchants another and the other person wants to give that feeling back to their SO. It's good for a party in a disco.

Turbulence: The opening tune feels like a dance battle will ensure here and it is rather intense to begin with before slowing down. The song is about strong feelings for someone i.e. the turbulence and that they want this gust to come to them stronger, no pain and to not come then go so quickly. Rapper Line kill it in this song.

Rodeo: Indeed the beginning of this song instantly makes you think it's a Western scene until the music starts going in a very different direction and it's a club night. It seems Vocal Line are sing-rapping here. Time to party Monbebe. Perfect for the world tour. It's going to get hot.

Stealer: Here for the deeper sounding vocal and rappers I must say. Quite a strange track this one but it seems to talk about how someone is a healer to the boys' pain and steals it away. The random 'Steal it' from Jooheon along with the gun cocking noise makes the beat drop until the chorus jumps right back in.

Party Time: Finishing up We Are Here is Party Time and while it is not a heave dance track and more mellowed down, the guys are saying while they are here, just scream and party till sun rise you deserve it after working hard. Enjoy a cocktail at the bar and keep on chanting "dala lala, dalalala" while you're chilling. That nod to Hyungwon's DJ persona by Changkyun - nice. The guys say they'll get your friends screaming and cheering and that their boss is going to pay for everything (Changkyun apologised quietly - ooooh).

Overall

This album is more for the party people in general. Very all over the place in terms of style but still enjoyable on the whole. There aren't many ballads or slower tracks to wind down to aside from No Reason which is fluffy and sweet at best. If you miss hearing softer MONSTA X best to go back to the earlier albums. Hyungwon seems to be getting a lot more lines than before, even if it is short sentences here. The line distribution for the vocalists is improving again and not constantly relying on Kihyun.

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