TXT’s "The Dream Chapter: Eternity" Album Review

It’s been a little over a year since TXT made their debut on the K-pop scene, and they’ve just released their third album, The Dream Chapter: Eternity. In just a year, they’ve grown so much, with this album having a little bit of a darker feel than their previous two albums. It’s a little bit of a switch-up of their style and it’s such a welcome change! They’ve evolved quickly, and this album is a great preview of the different changes TXT will experiment with in their music.

Drama

"Drama" is a powerful opening to this album. Dare I say, a “dramatic” opening? Haha. Between the piano and the tambourine, it’s such an upbeat start to the album. It immediately puts you in the mood to dance. This was the first song I listened to when I woke up, and it was the perfect choice to get me going on a Monday morning.

Lyrically, it’s also the best opening. It talks about how the singer is living their dream, but starting to realize that things aren’t quite what they seem. For an album questioning the dark sides of fame, friendship, and isolation, "Drama" lets you dip your toes in the conflict without fully submerging you just yet.

Can’t You See Me?

The main track on this album, "Can’t You See Me?" has a fantastic music video to go along with it. This is a great indicator of what the album represents. The boys have fun throwing around strawberries, for example, but the squished up strawberries look suspiciously like blood…

It’s a great mix of the fun, friendly energy TXT is known for, while also introducing a bit of a darker side of what drifting from your friends can feel like. I love this song. It’s catchy, and the choreography is sharp. The song reads a little like a rock song as well as a pop song. The guitar fits so well with the beat and the vibe of the album. The guitar gives it that extra kick that makes the song fiery and intense.

Fairy of Shampoo

Another of my favorites on this album, "Fairy of Shampoo" has my favorite title out of the songs. It sounds adorable. It’s also cool because it’s a remix of a 1990s song from another K-pop group, Light & Salt. This is probably the dreamiest of the songs on the album. Lyrically, everything gets very metaphorical. You can’t 100% pin down what’s going on in this song.

That strange, sleepiness extends to the instrumental as well. The vocals sound almost like they’re echoing, and they keep a steady, hazy beat constantly in the background. It literally sounds like you’re in a dream. My favorite is the little trumpet backing the vocals.

Maze in the Mirror

"Maze in the Mirror" is the acoustic song out of the bunch. It has an upbeat melody, and it’s one of the catchiest songs on the album for me. I like that this one is primarily acoustic. It helps differentiate this song from the rest of the album, and shows how TXT are comfortable in multiple different genres.

Along with "Fairy of Shampoo", "Maze in the Mirror" has my favorite title. It’s clever and tells you exactly what the song is about. This one is a little melancholy and lost, like you’re wandering through a mirror trying to find who you are. TXT have always impressed me with their lyrics, and "Maze in the Mirror" is a great example of this. Mirrors are such an overused metaphor, but this take felt fresh.

PUMA

"PUMA" is the jolt of energy right before the finish. Again, TXT spices things up wit ha genre change. This song is hip hop influenced all the way. It’s energetic, bright, and fast. This is the most action-packed of the songs.

It’s all about a journey and running full speed at everything you want. There’s a sense of freedom, but there’s a sense of danger too. This song takes the idea of fame and chasing your dreams, and turns it into a jungle metaphor. I think it works for the song. The jungle is a wild, unpredictable place. It’s beautiful, but even a puma has to be on its guard. “PUMA” is a great workout song, and it’s one of the most fun songs TXT has done.

Eternally

"Eternally" rounds out the album, and it’s easily my favorite on the album. It keeps to the themes of loneliness and isolation, but with a lot of vague metaphors. The lyrics feel a little dreamlike, which is perfectly in line with TXT’s usual style.

The best part of this song is the way the melody switches up. The song starts off slow, like something you’d sway to. Suddenly, it switches to a heavy, fast beat with soft vocals from Yeonjun and Hueningkai. The duality is awesome. It shows the varying degrees of distress and hurt they’re expressing in the song. Yeonjun and Kai’s parts are a little angrier, while the rest sing the calm, more desperate moments. It feels like an experience to listen to "Eternally", and you should give yourself the experience too.

With The Dream Chapter: Eternity, TXT have already established their style while also being able to put a spin on it. TXT has a very dreamlike, fairytale quality to their music. Eternity takes the dreamlike and makes it a bit nightmarish. The fairytale gets dark. I like that they’ve already been able to make a change to their style while still being true to their own voice. I’m always excited to hear new things from TXT, and Eternity has already become a massive reason as to why.