The Hero Stays Put
These four boys from Nova Scotia know exactly what they are trying to do on their debut LP, Saturnalia Regalia!. Monomyth is all about the hooks, the height and the happy. The melodies are catchy as heck, the guitars are unapologetically treble-y and echo-y and the overall feeling from these eight songs is positivity. Even as the songs veer from the pocket of pop to the realm of psych-metal, they retain a Turtles-esque ’60s-gleefulness.
Unfortunately, the opening lyrics take away from this direction. With a voice that sits comfortably between early Lou Reed and Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan, one would hope that singer/gutarist Josh Salter’s words might be poetic or at least witty, but the opening track, “Theme From Monomyth,” greets us, sans any tongues in any cheeks, thusly: “I felt so glad I came / I don’t know your name / but I still feel the same.” Is he being dirty or dull? The rest of the lyrics shift towards the latter. The melody, though, is so very infectious that you want to see where it goes from there, even if you no longer care about what he’s saying.
Once you let that go, and let it go you must, there is enough variety on Saturnalia Regalia! to maintain your interest, which is commendable considering the focus on their craft that Monomyth displays. “Pac Ambition” drones on in a way that could be tiresome, but it finds just the right stride, mixing in some controlled jamming at the end. Midway through the album, “Downer” and “Medicine Man” show the heavier side of the band, giving just enough oomph to convince listeners that they’re not wimps, but not so much that they risk losing their identity.
There are moments where Salter reaches too high, vocally, and he would be wise to stay within his range. It’s helpful that the vocal track is often laden with reverb and/or is beneath the music, but his voice has a cool tone, and it could thrive in the forefront if Monomyth ensures the songs fit his capabilities, and if they can develop a slight smirk with their lyrics. Saturanlia Regalia! is an impressive start for a band who has likely mapped out their next move.
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