Blake Solomon
01/25/07, 03:22 PM
Menomena - Friend And Foe
Released - Jan. 23, 2007
Label - Barsuk Records
During my younger years, I lived in the great country of Great Britain. I was a little too young (4th grade) to fully understand how cool it was to be an ex-patriot back then. Looking back, I learned a lot of things. I learned of the Spice Girls before all of you, I learned that Rugby was actually a sport and I even learned that kids made out behind the bomb shelter on school grounds (icky!). Perhaps most importantly (for this review), I learned what a British person sounds like while singing. It’s not quite “American”, but it doesn’t (usually) scream, “All hail the Queen”, either. Upon first hearing Menomena, I was sure I had found my new favorite British band. Another home run, Blake, they’re from Oregon.
With vocals that remind me of Bloc party (“The Pelican”) and the inclusion of saxophones, whistles(!), piano and diverse arrangements, I knew I was in for a weird ride right from the beginning. Friend and Foe is Menomena’s third release and their eclectic take on good ol’ (pop) rock and roll is very refreshing. Each song has a very different feel. From songs with twangy guitars to those that feature organs or beatmakers, you never know what you might discover with each subsequent listen.
Note to bands everywhere: If you want to make me happy, follow Menomena’s lead in the track “Boyskouts Sweetboyskouts” and give me lots of whistling and baritone sax. Also, if you want to know how to open an album with a minimalist bass line and still keep me enthralled, write a song along the lines of “Muscle’n Flo”. “Rotten Hell” (clever) features beautiful piano work and soaring gang choruses. I could go on and on about songs like “Evil Bee” with its chaotic percussion, jazzy saxophones and harmonica-ish background noises, but I wont (ok, I did). Honestly, other than the short filler song, “Running”, Menomena does no wrong. Each song is a joy to listen to, and the creativity is simply awe-inspiring.
Sometimes when I rave about a band I feel like one of those monkeys (yes, the ones with the funny hats) that dance to the music box of a creepy organ grinder stationed near a park bench. I promise so much entertainment, but then cheat you and run away with your money (or valuable time?). Not this time, Menomena is the real deal. They are everything that is still exciting about music, a real shot of life, if you will. And with that, my first and last nod to Wedding Crashers ever, I’m done. I guess you will see if I’m completely full of it or just fifty percent. Ok, that was the last one.
Released - Jan. 23, 2007
Label - Barsuk Records
During my younger years, I lived in the great country of Great Britain. I was a little too young (4th grade) to fully understand how cool it was to be an ex-patriot back then. Looking back, I learned a lot of things. I learned of the Spice Girls before all of you, I learned that Rugby was actually a sport and I even learned that kids made out behind the bomb shelter on school grounds (icky!). Perhaps most importantly (for this review), I learned what a British person sounds like while singing. It’s not quite “American”, but it doesn’t (usually) scream, “All hail the Queen”, either. Upon first hearing Menomena, I was sure I had found my new favorite British band. Another home run, Blake, they’re from Oregon.
With vocals that remind me of Bloc party (“The Pelican”) and the inclusion of saxophones, whistles(!), piano and diverse arrangements, I knew I was in for a weird ride right from the beginning. Friend and Foe is Menomena’s third release and their eclectic take on good ol’ (pop) rock and roll is very refreshing. Each song has a very different feel. From songs with twangy guitars to those that feature organs or beatmakers, you never know what you might discover with each subsequent listen.
Note to bands everywhere: If you want to make me happy, follow Menomena’s lead in the track “Boyskouts Sweetboyskouts” and give me lots of whistling and baritone sax. Also, if you want to know how to open an album with a minimalist bass line and still keep me enthralled, write a song along the lines of “Muscle’n Flo”. “Rotten Hell” (clever) features beautiful piano work and soaring gang choruses. I could go on and on about songs like “Evil Bee” with its chaotic percussion, jazzy saxophones and harmonica-ish background noises, but I wont (ok, I did). Honestly, other than the short filler song, “Running”, Menomena does no wrong. Each song is a joy to listen to, and the creativity is simply awe-inspiring.
Sometimes when I rave about a band I feel like one of those monkeys (yes, the ones with the funny hats) that dance to the music box of a creepy organ grinder stationed near a park bench. I promise so much entertainment, but then cheat you and run away with your money (or valuable time?). Not this time, Menomena is the real deal. They are everything that is still exciting about music, a real shot of life, if you will. And with that, my first and last nod to Wedding Crashers ever, I’m done. I guess you will see if I’m completely full of it or just fifty percent. Ok, that was the last one.