Mono - Nowhere Now Here Review
Longtime fans of the show will know that I make no attempts to hide my love of this band. Mono has consistently impressed me with their work. There will be no impartiality in this review. Mono continues their insane release schedule with this being the 4th album released in 5 years.
Right away the album establishes the sound for this album with “After You Comes the Flood”. The amount of raw emotion displayed on this album is something that lends itself very well to the bands habit of recording their tracks live in studio. “Breathe” begins with a call back to their original sound with minimalist instrumentation while slowly adding more instruments to the mix until there is a full 28 piece orchestra accompaniment. Mono is one of the few bands that can have a track with a run-time longer than 10 minutes and it feels like they actually needed it. The title track of the album “Nowhere, Now Here” is one of the best uses of their unique style I have ever heard. It has everything that you want to hear from the band: slow builds, repeated motifs, dynamic soundscapes, and emotional payoff.
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Nowhere, Now Here is an incredible journey that travels from the bands roots to their more modern styling. The album cycles through musical phrasing, and styling that fans of the band have come to know and love. The back half of the album manages to stay as fresh as the first half If there was any doubt in critics minds that they deserve a spot alongside legendary post-rock bands such as Mogwai, Sigur Ros, and Tortoise this album lays them to rest.