Music Review // Joel Phil "Monster"

https://youtu.be/1WzjaM7VOys //
https://open.spotify.com/album/4xb0J9wvEHJGgl5pORL1VG#_=_ //

Electro-pop could be the best way to describe the song "Monster".   It has soul in the vocals but also the music itself, the beats, makes me think this could be on the pop radio stations.   It might just be that it is called "Monster" and the lyrics are about that but it does remind me of the Backstreet Boys song "Everybody", maybe just because of that video.   But these lyrics are intriguing because they are about not turning into a literal monster but how people can change and I think on some broad level we all live with our demons and as such can relate to this song. 

The video which accompanies this song is a lyric video so it has dark images (red and black) with the words on the screen and I think that's important because it puts a focus on the lyrics, which I find to be a stronger aspect of this song (Most pop songs don't have such admirable lyrics to them) but I can't help but wish for an actual music video.  Given the premise of the monster it would be fun to see a dancing video somewhere between the aforementioned "Everybody" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" but, you know, with a modern twist.

At its core, I believe what this song is about is how people can change when they are in relationships.   Yes, if someone you know is in a relationship you can see them differently than when they are not, but at the same time I think this is recognizing the affect that being with someone can have on you.   Sometimes, you can feel like you are in love with someone, that you would die for them, and you feel like this is healthy but when you really analyze it you realize that perhaps this is not the healthiest relationship to be in because it makes you something that you are not, something that you shouldn't be.

But then, at the same time, this can argue the point of whether or not one should become the monster when in love, when having these feelings, because if you are not able to become that monster are you truly in love?  It's like the idea of "Is jealousy healthy in a relationship?"  While some would argue no, the reasons why it would be healthy would also be the reasons why you could become the monster in this song and furthermore just becomes a reason why human emotions are so complex but I'm glad we can discuss them in such ways that this song presents.