London six-piece band Mono Club will release their debut album ‘Sky High And Submarine’ on 30 March, through LGM Records.
Recorded and self-produced in the band’s london studio, before being mixed by Dave Eringa, best known for his work with Manic Street Preachers, the album comprises 10 tracks with a distinct 60s vibe. First track ‘Sour Mash’ is a heavy psych song, laid back and ethereal, whereas the title track, which follows on, conjures up visions of driving along a clifftop road in the summer time, possibly in California. ‘Memory Critical’ owes a lot to The Beatles and their close harmonies, while fourth track, ‘Other People’s Words’ could have come from John Lennon himself, the vocals eerily reminiscent of the much lamented singer.
There’s a lot of psych influences here and it’s a genre we particularly like, with the vocals clinging tightly to the instrumentation. ‘Best Laid Plans’, and ‘Over The Moon’ could quite easily have come straight off the soundtrack of a David Lynch film, and if he’s in need of some new music he should look no furrther than Mono Club.
The tempo speeds up for ‘Place Called Home’, reminding us of The Housemartins, but drops back again with track 8, ‘Venus Rising’, which takes us back to the 60s and SoCal psych. It’s trancy and laid back and gorgeous.
Track 9, ‘Heaven Was Her Heart’ opens up like Fine Young Cannibals’ ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ before returning to the Doors-y/Beatles-y sound of before. Jangly guitars and some wah-wah characterise the penultimate song.
Final song on the album, ‘Sleeping’ feels like Oasis meets The Cure; it works – lots of guitars and the characteristic drawn out vocals. The perfect end to a fabulous album.
‘Sky High And Submarine’ can be streamed and downloaded from iTunes, Amazon
