This New Jersey band takes its name from a gory Shakespeare play, a highly appropriate premise for their music. Wild, flying tunes zoom around in one song, while a thumping drum entices one to tap his/her foot along with the music, or even air drum. Their second album, The Monitor, is named after the first ironclad Union warship produced for the Civil War, and after buying a hard copy (support the band!) and listening through, I found that the Civil War theme recurs throughout the album, with excerpts of speeches from Abraham Lincoln in the song “A More Perfect Union” (see below). More passages, albeit recreated, from Walt Whitman, William Lloyd Garrison, and Jefferson Davis ensue as bookends for various songs, giving the album a historic feel, although the music is far from it.
Notable songs include “A More Perfect Union.” This opener is one of the top songs on the album. An insanely catchy guitar riff leads the song with pounding force; Patrick Stickles (vocals, guitar, and a plethora of other skills) belts out lyrics about leaving behind New Jersey and his regret in doing so. “Four Score and Seven” - again we see the energy this album carries… along with another killer guitar riff. “The Battle of Hampton Roads”—named for the pivotal naval battle in the Civil War—is a fourteen-minute epic, bagpipe solo and all.
The Monitor is definitely a solid album. With crashing cymbals and pounding beats, led by a fluctuating, distorted guitar that carries riffs above and beyond, this album is one of the best purchases I have made in a long time. Another pleasant surprise: the booklet that comes with the album is very entertaining to read. Also, underneath the disk is a list of “Suggested Further Reading”—about half a dozen books involving the Civil War. You just can’t get this stuff on iTunes.
No comments:
Post a Comment