[review]
Aussie quartet, Monks of Mellonwah like to mix it up. Guitars; synths; strings; rock; electronic mixes – all are in the band’s armour. That said, most MOM songs are instantly recognisable, and this new release is no exception.
They like to tease their fans before a full release. Three EPs were put out before the debut album, “Turn The People”. It was worth the wait, impressing the critics and marking them out as a band to take seriously.
They are currently recording their second album, scheduled for release mid-2015, and “Never Been Good”(released 3rd April, 2015) is the first single. This will be followed by a second single, titled “Even When It Burns”.
Quite short, at 2:51, “Never Been Good” could have sat comfortably on “Turn The People”. With enough aggressive oomph to please the rock fans and enough catchy hooks to please the pop fans, it’s not the best thing they’ve done, but it’s still a pleasing reminder of their talent and packs a lot of nuance in. Good bass and percussion plus Vikram Kaushik’s distinctive vocal drive it along, but their use of pizzicato, one of their trademarks that they use so well, elevates it. Also, it makes you want to do a shuffle round the room, but maybe that’s just me.
A truly international band, they’re getting attention from all over the world and racking up tours and awards. Their influences are classic rock and indie, and they add twists of their own. I’m hoping the next album brings a progression but retains their individual signature sound. That’s hard to do, but I’ve got a feeling they know exactly what they’re doing.
And if you’re wondering where on earth that band name came from – well, it’s taken from characters in a computer game the band members used to play.
