Monahan's song "it's enough to leave you" received FM airplay last year, and there's something in that song that enraptured my ears-- so I pursued the CD Dim the Aurora (recommended!)-- and finally got to catch these guys live last night. Remember the old school way of learning new music before the Internet? FM radio, buy a hardcopy, then see the band?
Monahans is Greg Vanderpool on guitar/vocals, Joshua Zarbo on bass, Roberto Sanchez on drums, and Britton Beisenherz on a handful of tricks-- organ, guitar, harmonica, and the occasional egg shaker. Because I learned about this band through what is now an old school way, I was suspicious of being disappointed-- afraid the CD just had good production and there would be no real musical delivery in person. I love when I'm wrong!
This band will make your beer buzz right off the table, but you might be too captivated to notice. Their musical foundation, carried through many songs (but not all), is a rhythmic and thundering rock propeller reminiscent of Joy Division's and early Cure's dark and driving bass (with all the emotion, but not the depression), U2's military style percussion, and Cure-like air between the organ and the nicely carved guitar solos.. sometimes even the essence of early REM song structure. Occasionally when reaching a crescendo they also carry the vibe of late 90's noise-guitar rock bands, like Live (I don't care how popular they were-- I think Live was great). And I don't mean to hack the whole into parts--the whole of Monahans is gratifying and original in its own right.
The Monahans' CD in my possession in no way conveys the energy with which this band plays, the synchronicity, or the mood. Their pieces can be at times gentle and beautiful (one of the last numbers was more of a rock ballad), and sometimes intentionally sparse, but most often the music and vocals/harmonies are intentionally pushed to a boiling point of emotional intensity, yet carefully controlled throughout. Most songs are an enjoyable slow boil that leaves you wanting more the minute the flame is removed.
Vanderpool's vocals are unassuming-- masculine, rough, subtle-- and key to creating Monahans' atmosphere. His voice does not compete with the rhythmic force of the drums, bass, or his own guitar chops-- rather his delivery floats just under the powerful and pulsing surface. Beisenhertz on organ/guitar/harmonica also nicely complements when the piece calls for it, thereby creating something that is distinctly Monahans-- their ambiance. When Zarbo joins in on harmonies during emotive chord progressions, well, that might be the clincher that made me buy the CD and come out to see them in the first place.
The band seemed bashful and sincerely flattered to be called back for an encore--basically everyone in the room was yelling for more. They announced that they'd be focusing on having babies this year (not with each other). This was not a breakup announcement, but more of a way to say "we'll see you around when we can". Most of us know how babies go, but I sure hope they're able to come out and play as much as possible--Monahans left my ears buzzing for more...
No comments:
Post a Comment