DUKESTER'S MELTDOWN REVIEWS OF DESERT MONKEY'S 'WATER DAMAGE' AND 'MADE GREAT BY A BREEZE'.
'Desert
Monkey are something a little bit different to your usual rock entertainment,
but I bet you can't quite put your finger on it. This is distorted rock
rhythms and riffs stopping and strutting but relaxing and enjoying it,
a relaxed aggression if you will, the atmosphere of a pub rock band
or a band having fun escaping in the music in the rehearsal room but
visualizing the band banging their heads and stamping their feet as
they pick at their instruments. The front cover of this EP (the band
with their long hair flying about in front of a red lit brick wall)
says it all. As said of their last CD, guitar licks lead the way as
the lyrics go high and low in both sound and mood. Think Led Zep's Robert
Plant singing in one of the new wave of indie rawk bands.
"Known To Be Cynics" breaks in before feedback and singing and a technical riff ride the head bobbing storm, a little bit of stop start and cheesy grin solo don't go amiss either. "Two" starts soft, gets harder before you know it, a sweeping midpace attention seeker. "Water Damage" has a stomping hard riff muted in parts to make most nu-metallers jealous, but combined with the band's indie rock sensibilities it makes for a good tune. "Run Along" is a nice soft piece of atmos but not without being laced with distortion. "Volume Phrasing" is the best song that The Music never wrote as its slow and fast and rockin' and quiet and just all over the shop, and a blistering guitar shred to match.' (Review
from 'Dukester's Meltdown', September 2004) |
"This
band claim to be varied but in truth there is only one thing on this
bands agenda: that thing is rock. But not your bargain basement powerchord
riffs, rather a hearty mix of talent in their guitar licks & tricks
and it doesnt take long to get excited. Basically this is old school
rock with hints of blues here and funk there, but its also head banging
here and strutting there. Theyre also keen on keeping their audience
as big as possible by having good clean guitars strumming away and also
being heavy to keep everyone happy. But it seems nobody is happier than
themselves with the tunes they generate. The guitar solos and bass solos
make for great listening too.
They can also change styles as quickly and as unpredictably as they change tempo, especially on the song "Balance" on their demo. Did I mention how good their demo is? Thats because it was recorded at New Rising Studio with Mark Daghorn (www.newrisingstudio.co.uk) , famed with OMS, Cradle Of Filth and Orange Goblin, so this band are getting the attention of the attuned, not bad considering they were 18 when they recorded. So this band have gotten good, special AND far and with plenty of room yet to grow. Better see them before their tickets are only available on eBay for £666. Their demo "Made Great By Breeze" is a four track toe tapper and I suggest you get it. " ('Dukesters Meltdown' online review of Desert Monkey's EP November 2003) |