Search - Monty Are I :: Wall of People

March on, electric children.

Luke Rounda | Lawrence, KS | 09/06/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Named after their high school band teacher, their home state of Rhode Island, and the legal issues which pursued them before even releasing an album proper, Monty Are I lay down a blender's worth of power-pop/punk tunes here on "Wall of People," one of the most unique offerings this genre has seen in years.



Seeing them live is an experience in itself. Multi-instrumentalist Ryan Muir alternately strums a six-string and twirls a trumpet around like a six-shooter in a spaghetti western, while lead singer Steve Aiello rips his throat and nasal cavity apart in front of a blaring Marshall stack that sounds like it could be on fire. Their record offers up somewhat typical subject matter for the pop-punk crowd, with odes to drunken lust and love ("Dublin Waltz"), hard-hitting bubblegum choruses that will burrow into your subconscious ("Anchor and Hope"), straightforward bombshells of energy ("In This Legacy"), and even a not-so-subtle Nintendo tribute or two ("Castle Bound," which opens with a decidedly 8-bit riff), but the approach to lyric writing is much more disconnected and poetic than say, that of Blink-182.



Loud guitars appreciably make up a good portion of the sonic palette, but here they're filled out with some less conventional surprises. With production courtesy of Matt Squire, who probably had a heavy hand in sculpting some of the more baroque elements of 2005's "Between the Heart and the Synapse" by The Receiving End of Sirens, Monty Are I's less conventional elements (horn parts and video game segues) come to life rather than fade into gimmickry.



Aiello's vocals seem to have their own gravity, gluing everything together with gooey high harmonies and an overall vocal timbre that blends in perfectly with the energized punk firestorm behind him. His skill is more evident, however, on the softer tracks like the harpsichord and piano jam "Island City," the slow-burning "Just in Time," or even their unique non-album take on Nirvana's "Something in the Way," which can be heard at the band's Myspace as of this writing.



Although their style definitely lacks the soul and dimension of certain other bands that employ guitars and horns (RX Bandits, with whom MAI have toured), Monty Are I deliver a fun and listenable punk record that mines popsmithery, '80s guitar theatrics, and marching band mentality to equal degree. You can't say that about many other five piece bands. Recommended are MAI."

Fresh

JRead | Warwick, RI | 08/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Monty Are I's 1st major label release, 'Wall of People', combines anthemic rock vocals, face melting riffs, and the occasional horn section blast that spans 11 songs (5 previously not released).



The Album starts off with "Between the Sheets" and gives a good representation of what is to come on the next tracks: Big catchy choruses, squealing guitar harmonics, and the sometimes "over-the-top" (but great) vocal melodies between lead singer, Steve Aiello and Ryan Muir. "Castle Bound" begins with a familar synth line from the video game Zelda and continues the trend of great vocals/melodies. Finally ending with Aiello's ripping wah solo.



"Dublin Waltz" and "Anchor and Hope" contain great riffs and also continue the trend of strong vocals with the occasional harmony by Muir. My personal favorites: "Island City" and "Just in Time" are almost completely played on keyboards and although the least intense part of the album, they contain the best vocal performances and harmonies.



The closer, "Only the Weak", is a great ending to a well pieced together album. 'Wall of People' has many reoccurring themes but never gets boring or repetitive. I recommend it for listeners who are tired of the same "verse/chorus/verse/chorus" bands that plague the rock genre but also to people that listen to metal through prog rock.



Overall 5/5"

Unreal

Shawn | NJ | 08/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Randomly came across this band a few days ago, and was completely blown away. I love Metropolis and Between the Sheets. Highly recommended!!

Go get it."