Tony Pascarella
07/17/06, 11:53 PM
Monty Are I – Wall of People
Release Date: August 1, 2006
Record Label: Stolen Transmission/Island Records
[Overall Score: 7.8/10]
Getting right down to it, the biggest problem with the Stolen Transmission debut from Monty Are I is the lack of new songs. That new-car smell applies to CDs too, and those who enjoyed the band’s 8-song debut, The Red Shift, might not find Wall of People as appealing as first-time listeners. Six of the eleven songs are taken from The Red Shift and spruced up a bit before being slapped onto the new CD. While the band have changed their name from Monty's Fan Club to Monty to the current moniker, Monty Are I, their drive and determination remains intact, perhaps even refined as time has allowed them to mature a bit. They are consistently noted for an electric live show, but some complain they are not always up to par on CD. Wall of People combats that stereotype to some success, although a few holes in their recorded performance remain.
Some of the songs (see “Anchor and Hope”) play the angry ex-lover card just a bit too prominently, although “Dublin Waltz” keys heavily on the muted ska sound that gives Monty Are I the edge over your ordinary passive-aggressive rock band. Frankly, that makes all the difference. Never do the horns overwhelm the listener, but they do just enough (although some may argue they should be brought into the mix more often) to accent the rough and tumble rock ‘n roll sound that Monty Are I strive for. “O Brother” starts out promising a harsh sound, but Steve Aiello dials it back a notch vocally. This musical contradiction of sorts comes off as a little forced, although when the band lets loose instrumentally, they flourish. “O Brother” features a self-indulgent choral group backing the outro of the song; it is an interesting touch, and it actually turns out well. Closing the album, “Only the Weak” is an ass-kicking track that seems to try to channel AFI before returning to a distinct Monty Are I sound; it stands as one of the CD’s strongest tracks, and is quickly becoming one of my favorites of the year.
With Wall of People, Monty Are I barrel through 11 tracks with reckless abandon, scathing belligerence, and enough cheap thrills to put a smile on nearly anyone’s face. For his part, Steve Aiello sounds like a stepchild of Name Taken’s Chad Atkinson and New Found Glory’s Jordan Pundik with perhaps a little Darryl Palumbo thrown in for good measure, and that quirky yet refreshing voice of his gives Wall of People a marked advantage in quality. If you want to enjoy a solid debut album from a band that should be making waves sooner rather than later, add Wall of People to your CD collection; these are some damn good rock ‘n roll tunes.
Buy Monty Are I's Wall of People on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D168639079%2526id%253D168639075%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )
01. Between the Sheets
02. Castle Bound
03. Dublin Waltz*
04. Anchor and Hope*
05. O Brother
06. Island City
07. Metropolis
08. In This Legacy
09. Just In Time*
10. Tie Off Your Veins*
11. Only the Weak*
* denotes new song99 Cents Worth includes several of my favorite songs that if you're looking to sample the album, you should check out on iTunes."Only the Weak," "Dublin Waltz," and "Tie Off Your Veins"Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/montyarei) | Purevolume (http://www.purevolume.com/montyarei) | Official Site (http://www.montyarei.com)
Release Date: August 1, 2006
Record Label: Stolen Transmission/Island Records
[Overall Score: 7.8/10]
Getting right down to it, the biggest problem with the Stolen Transmission debut from Monty Are I is the lack of new songs. That new-car smell applies to CDs too, and those who enjoyed the band’s 8-song debut, The Red Shift, might not find Wall of People as appealing as first-time listeners. Six of the eleven songs are taken from The Red Shift and spruced up a bit before being slapped onto the new CD. While the band have changed their name from Monty's Fan Club to Monty to the current moniker, Monty Are I, their drive and determination remains intact, perhaps even refined as time has allowed them to mature a bit. They are consistently noted for an electric live show, but some complain they are not always up to par on CD. Wall of People combats that stereotype to some success, although a few holes in their recorded performance remain.
Some of the songs (see “Anchor and Hope”) play the angry ex-lover card just a bit too prominently, although “Dublin Waltz” keys heavily on the muted ska sound that gives Monty Are I the edge over your ordinary passive-aggressive rock band. Frankly, that makes all the difference. Never do the horns overwhelm the listener, but they do just enough (although some may argue they should be brought into the mix more often) to accent the rough and tumble rock ‘n roll sound that Monty Are I strive for. “O Brother” starts out promising a harsh sound, but Steve Aiello dials it back a notch vocally. This musical contradiction of sorts comes off as a little forced, although when the band lets loose instrumentally, they flourish. “O Brother” features a self-indulgent choral group backing the outro of the song; it is an interesting touch, and it actually turns out well. Closing the album, “Only the Weak” is an ass-kicking track that seems to try to channel AFI before returning to a distinct Monty Are I sound; it stands as one of the CD’s strongest tracks, and is quickly becoming one of my favorites of the year.
With Wall of People, Monty Are I barrel through 11 tracks with reckless abandon, scathing belligerence, and enough cheap thrills to put a smile on nearly anyone’s face. For his part, Steve Aiello sounds like a stepchild of Name Taken’s Chad Atkinson and New Found Glory’s Jordan Pundik with perhaps a little Darryl Palumbo thrown in for good measure, and that quirky yet refreshing voice of his gives Wall of People a marked advantage in quality. If you want to enjoy a solid debut album from a band that should be making waves sooner rather than later, add Wall of People to your CD collection; these are some damn good rock ‘n roll tunes.
Buy Monty Are I's Wall of People on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D168639079%2526id%253D168639075%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )
01. Between the Sheets
02. Castle Bound
03. Dublin Waltz*
04. Anchor and Hope*
05. O Brother
06. Island City
07. Metropolis
08. In This Legacy
09. Just In Time*
10. Tie Off Your Veins*
11. Only the Weak*
* denotes new song99 Cents Worth includes several of my favorite songs that if you're looking to sample the album, you should check out on iTunes."Only the Weak," "Dublin Waltz," and "Tie Off Your Veins"Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/montyarei) | Purevolume (http://www.purevolume.com/montyarei) | Official Site (http://www.montyarei.com)