WHISPERIN AND HOLLERIN REVIEWS OF DESERT MONKEY'S 'MADE GREAT BY A BREEZE'.
| "Our Rating:
8 out of 10...Desert Monkey’s debut EP explodes into action with
the frantic raw power of title track ‘Made great by a breeze’.
Primal tub-thumping gives way to the driving guitar riffs akin to Pearl
Jam’s ‘Even Flow’. The Colchester- based outfit deliver
an infectious chorus, conveying a message of youthful freedom (“Without
a Look back, without your care”). A rootsy breakdown leads into
a riotous ending and singer Lewis Spurgin brings the track to a climax
with an impressive example of vocal sustenance. The second track on the EP, Balance, marks a sharp contrast to the opener. A much mellower and more relaxed affair, the song shifts between rhythmic changes, building towards the weighty chorus. Again Spurgin displays a rough, raw voice, which shows a surprising maturity beyond his age, and the hallmark of a man with much potential. Terpsichorean, meaning ‘of, or related to, dancing’ (ah, the magic of the dictionary!), begins with a trademark Chilli Peppers style intro and maintains this theme with a Flea-style bass break. The track incorporates some incredible lead guitar playing; featuring hints of the kind of Vai-esque runs and licks that have become fashionable again in mainstream British music with the success of the Darkness. This is not to say that Desert Monkey have jumped on the bandwagon, but rather the technical complexity of their guitar playing, as with the likes of the Datsuns, has become popular again and should find a wider audience beyond fanatics who take their Gibsons to bed with them. EP- closer ‘Easylong’, like ‘Balance’, is rooted in the Replenish-era ambience of Brit- Rockers Reef. Whilst it is possible to see a number of influences in the band’s work (Zeppelin, Sabbath, Soundgarden), Reef clearly seem to be the Desert Monkey’s chief muse. Easylong’s jazzy- bluesy riffs are interspersed with a Jane’s Addiction style refrain. The one fault I would highlight is that Spurgin’s vocals are much better suited to songs with the intensity of ‘Breeze’, than the mellower numbers. Desert Monkey should be accredited for an impressive record. The band is clearly talented in terms of technical ability, and the EP would suggest a style of music that would transfer well to outside of the recording studio. All in all, the signs look good, and reflect a very promising act in the making.
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"However
much you trust your instincts, there are times in this game when those
dreaded first impressions can let you down. This demo EP by DESERT MONKEY
being a case in point.
Recorded by Mark Daghorn, the man responsible for the hard and heavy delights of Brodys recent "Torn From A Warm Place" EP, the deafening drums and widdly guitars that signalled the start of the EPs first (and title) track were just about to have me diving for cover when suddenly some surprisingly melodic riffing kicks in and the whole thing assembles in shape to be far more in the crushingly heavy, but actually pretty cool rawk footprints of the likes of Alice In Chains and The Screaming Trees. Preceonceptions duly (and pleasantly) shattered, the rest of the EP continues in a similar vein, with this highly proficient quintet throwing some tasty funky touches a la Chili Peppers and then quickly retreating into something moody and melodic before introducing a massive chorus on ambitious second track "Balance." Suitably impressed, third track "Terpsichorean" is the real behemoth here. The vocal roar at the beginnings positively antediluvian and the intensity is never less than tangible. Could do without the widdly guitar on this one, mind: me pet T-Rex wont come out for his evening walk while thats going on and he gets particularly nasty when hes not walked before his supper. Still, even hes no complaints with the final tune, "Easylong", which starts out as chiming, noir-ish rock-pop with great dynamics. Again, the bands natural funkiness pops over the parapet with some Flea-bothering tweaky bass and actually the whole caboodle reminds me of sadly long-deceased, but immortally cool NYC punk-funkers Heads Up!, which - believe me - is a compliment. So, yeah, rather good and not what Id expected initially, which shows why gving demos 30 seconds and frisbeeing them onto the roof of the factory over the roads not good enough. Well, most of the time anyway. Our Rating: 7/10"
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