RED VELVET – IRENE & SEULGI – 'MONSTER'

Track List:

1. Monster *Title

2. Diamond

3. Feel Good

4. Jelly

5. Uncover (Sung by SEULGI) (Bonus Track)

Red Velvet's Irene and Seulgi are headed your way with 'Monster.' The EP contains 5 tracks, including the title track and a bonus song by Seulgi. This is their very first mini-album.

The album has some very similar sounds running through it. Some of you may remember when they released the albums 'Red' and 'Velvet.' 'Red,' of course, contained the faster-paced dance tracks. 'Velvet' was for the slower jams. This mini-album seems to contain elements of both.

The difference comes in the fact that most of these tracks are not R&B, like those seminal releases. "Monster" might be a seductive stomper, but the B-sides are more like the laid-back "Feel Good." And songs like "Diamond in the Rough" contain some R&B elements. They're all kind of low-key. But that doesn't make them bad.

Far from it. The vocals here are all top-notch. I would expect nothing less from two seasoned professionals. These two really know what they're doing, and it comes out in this album.

Bottom line is that if these songs don't brighten your day, I don't know what will.

MV REVIEW

In a word, wow!

This could have been so bad. A low-budget mess. But under the steady hand of directors and editors, it seriously rocks.

There's some beautiful lighting here that sometimes shrouds them in shadows, and at other times throws them into sharp relief. I love the religious theme. The stained-glass windows they strut in front of are quite awesome as a background. Combine that with black costumes and the goth makeup and you have a scene that is seductive as it is foreboding.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the girls themselves. They are just gorgeous here -- smoking hot. And the costumes are interesting because they go from classy to trashy at the drop of a hat. And the homo-erotic elements are kind of a mystery to me. I don't mind the teasing, but I have to wonder why.

But it's definitely worth your time to check out this music video. Even if you're just curious. It's opulent, beautifully shot, and shows you an Irene and Seulgi you never knew existed.

Score

MV Relevance............9

MV Production...........9

MV Concept................9

MV SCORE: 9.0

Album Production......9

Album Concept...........8

Tracklisting.................8

ALBUM SCORE: 8.3

OVERALL.................8.6