Raft of Dead Monkeys
Thoroughlev
Burnout
The title of this album comes from the band’s performance goal: to thoroughly level everything in their sight. Raw, dissonant, and filled with syncopations and time shifts, on this release, the band thoroughly levels everything in their path. Musically, they remind me quite a bit of Polvo. The music is sinewy and taut with songs that build and release with flourishes of feedback cascading of the interplay of guitarists. The only constant is the relentless rhythm section that keeps the band rooted and moving.
Dark and menacing, this album is shot through with dark beauty. One of the better tracks, “Bad Horsey,” oscillates between a spoken word narration, threatening violence, coming over a telephone with slow tempo music. Then the music switches gears and rushes headlong with the singer and up-tempo music battling back the spoken word threats and violence.
Or, check out the song “2 Year Lease,” with its heartfelt Valentine sentiment: “You’re not the only whore in town/Just the best fuck around•” Ah, a song I am sure to be found on many a mix-tape in the coming years.
It is hard to listen to this album without bouncing off the walls and dancing. The furious and relentless pounding, the fierce guitar work out and jagged riffs all coalesce and pummel the listener into blissful senseless. This album fills a void in the current music scene that sorely needed being filled. Articulate, aggressive, and incredible.
Burnout Records, PO Box 30071, Seattle, WA 98103; http://www.burnoutrecords.com, http://www.raftofdeadmonkeys.com
