Moneen - The Red Tree

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 18 / 5 / 2006

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Review

'The Red Tree' is the album that could potentially turn its makers, Moneen, from a small Canadian band with a loyal fan base into world wide superstars with their own style and unique sound. From the album's first song 'Don’t Ever Tell Locke What He Can’t Do' it Is clear that Moneen have ambition, talent and are going to make a lot of noise. The band are lumped into the Emo/Screamo scene which is often looked upon in a negative way, and that view is quite often fair. But with 'The Red Tree' Moneen have come up with a winner that will set them far above the competition. They released a split EP with fellow Canadian rockers Alexisonfire and it is not hard to see why. Apart from the probable mutual love of ice hockey, snow, moose and any other Canadian stereotypes you may like to add yourself, the two bands are kindred spirits, Both bands have been around for a similar time span and both bands are clear leaders that stand out in a world of groups in which you would be hard pushed to tell one from the other. The lead single from the album 'If Tragedy’s Appealing, Then Disasters An Addiction' flies at you as the second track . It sounds incredible. It boasts a driving drum beat from Peter Krpan, similar to the Foo Fighters at both their heaviest and most melodic at the same time. The vocals from singer/guitarists Kenny Bridges and Chris Hugh sweep and swoon throughout the song without one angsty scream in sight. It is clear the last three or so years the band have spent touring their collective rears off have paid off. A tour slot with Muse seems to have left a mark as well, with songs like 'This is All Bigger Than Me' sounding huge. With its slow intro and gradual drum beat, it really is the type of song that makes you want to stop everything that is going on, so you can just lose yourself in the music. The heavier moments come and go throughout the songs. It is clear that Moneen are a band that , while sticking to their screamo-esque beginnings, are far beyond needing to scream and yell or play at 100 miles an hour to get their point across. The album to me is of a type like Jimmy Eat World's’ “Bleed American” album, which when people heard it they wanted to see what other similar bands were doing, because they simply couldn’t get enough of it. 'Red Sky 'really sounds like a career making album.Moneen have clearly put in their hard work in order to get to where they are now and that is not about to stop as they plan to go out on tour again over the summer. Personally I am waiting with baited breath to see them perform some of these wonderful songs live.

Track Listing:-

1 Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do
2 If Tragedy's Appealing, Then Disaster's An Addiction
3 Bleed and Blister (Version 3)
4 The Day No One Needed to Know
5 This Is All Bigger Than Me
6 The Frightening Reality of the Fact That We Will All Have to Grow Up and Settle Down One Day
7 The Politics of Living and the Shame In Dying
8 The East Has Stolen What the West May Want
9 Seasons Fade...Fevers Rage...It's a Slow Decay
10 There Are a Million Reasons for Why This May Not Work...and Just One Good One for Why It Will
11 The Song I Swore to Never Sing