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.
their trombone player danced with the horn in his hand for 25 mins of the set
for 4 mins he played keyboards
and for 1 minute he played trombone
i was kind of disappointed
and he would pick up the trombone to dance with it in songs where he didnt even play it
it was kind of like a stage prop :(
Really? They tore it up live when I saw them (they were recording live footage that night, so I dunno). I have a friend who had seen them previously and said they were very good live as well. Maybe you caught a bad day? He was low on air?
I have to agree with the fact that it is a major bummer that this is pretty much a rerelease of their last record.
Last year, I reviewed hundreds of demos for Takeover Records Sign My Band Contest, and this was the band that I picked to go into the top 10. I'm glad to see they are going places, but would have loved if they at least had half new and half old.
i havent listened to any of the new songs yet, cause like you pointed out, there are only 5 of em and i have the red shift. i like being surprised a little bit when i get the physical cd in my hand. anyway, i have been looking forward to this album
anyone know if they still have that limited enhanced ep they were selling on the beginning of the tour, or if that is sold out?
I have to agree with the fact that it is a major bummer that this is pretty much a rerelease of their last record.
Last year, I reviewed hundreds of demos for Takeover Records Sign My Band Contest, and this was the band that I picked to go into the top 10. I'm glad to see they are going places, but would have loved if they at least had half new and half old.
That's pretty cool. How does one get a job like that?
Anyone who enjoyed The Red Shift will probably dig this because there's so many songs from it, but the new songs are really where it's at. "Between the Sheets" (old) was good, but songs like "Only the Weak" are so much better.
By the way, does anyone like the addition of the new box, 99 Cents Worth? I figured I'd highlight a few of my favorite tracks from each CD in my reviews.
By the way, does anyone like the addition of the new box, 99 Cents Worth? I figured I'd highlight a few of my favorite tracks from each CD in my reviews.
Well, here shouldn't it be $2.97 worth? :) But yeah it is a good idea. I tend to like to talk about the record as a whole only, but I can see people appreciating this.
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