Mono — Walking cloud and deep red sky, flag fluttered and
The new album was mainly written in hotel rooms while on tour. It was recorded over January 2004 at Steve Albini’s Electric Audio, with him as co-producer. Having that in mind, you can wonder whether they did rush the writing and recording process… Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to have been the case.
Soundwise, Walking Cloud is quite different to One step more. While the previous album was very, very dark and violent, very noisy, very heavy, the new one is brighter, lighter and gentler. But it doesn’t forget to hit and to bring on the noise. It’s just that everything seems a little more positive.
Thanks to their constant touring, Mono’s reputation has been growing and people see them becoming as important as Mogwai in a not so distant future. Question is: do they bring something new to post-rock? My answer was clear when I reviewed One step more (check our archive): yes! I’d be a little less affirmative this time around, but it shouldn’t spoil the broth (so to speak), let’s enjoy the music for what it is. Of course, the structure are your typical quiet and then loud then quiet again. But it’s done with such a passion and a talent for melodies as much as a talent for noise, distortion and all things heavy that it becomes difficult to criticize.
The album starts with the sound of a string quartet and the sound of e-bow. We’re in for a 10 minutes plus epic. As I said the structure is known, but 16.12 is one of the best tracks I’ve heard using that kind of loud / quiet / loud thing. Actually, the first time I heard it, the bit when it gets intense gave me goosebumps. There is something really deep, meaningful about this “explosion” of, I don’t know, sorrow? Regrets? Or is that some sort of hope? Anyway, the answer doesn’t matter, but the feeling you get does… The next song, Mere your pathetique light, is the melodic continuation of 16.12. Very melancholic, not devoid of sadness, and great work on the guitar / strings interplay. Halcyon (Beautiful days) falls in the same category, with again a great melody. On this one, the noisier part is really tempestuous, like a Tsunami wave making its way through a beach resort. Scary, breathtaking… As it was the use on One step more, the long tracks are followed by much calmer and gentler tracks. 2 candles, 1 wish is one of those. It’s good, but much more pedestrian than what Mono can usually provide. For the same length, The sky remains the same as ever is way better, oriented on strings and drone, a very nice and relaxing track. Lost snow is the longest track, and it’s once again a quiet / loud affair It’s here that the difference between the new album and the previous one is the most obvious. You get a lot of noise and even some riffs that wouldn’t be out of place on a metal album, but it’s not fierce or mean. Albini’s production probably diluted a bit of the anger and, in any case, it makes for a clearer sound so you can hear more details and not just a sort of noise blur. A very potent work. The last track is A thousand paper cranes, and it’s as depressing as it gets. A little guitar drone, long sustained notes, and some piano. It makes for a heartbreaking end.
I can’t help it: I prefer it when it’s dark and violent. But truth be told, some beautiful moments are to be found here. This new Mono album will bring them new fans and the next tour might as well turn them into indie superstars. They deserve it.