The Monstrous Blues - 'Colourblind'

[Kevin]

Band: The Monstrous Blues
Album: Colourblind
Format: CD
Label: Highbeam
Time: 53 minutes
Year: 2003

Track List:

Colourblind
The Local
Podium
This is the Summer
Gotta Belong
Dobly B
System Eminating Complex Impulse
Waterlogged
Lost
Blemished
Manjaro
High Roller
Shin Ei
Muztard

Label site and cover photo: highbeammusic.net/label/hbm025.html

With the demise or change of direction of such notable Highbeam bands as Thumlock, Daredevil, Dernrutledge, and Shamen’s Ride, I’ve been wondering who in Australia was capable of stepping up and filling those very large shoes. On the strength of their new album, Pod People is certainly a contender in the doom arena. And based on the very little I’ve heard, it sounds like El Sanchez will be another. Doubtless there are others; Jed Whitey springs to mind.

Because of their excellent EP ‘High Octane,’ I had considered The Monstrous Blues to be at the top of the heap as well. ‘High Octane’ is just a superb example of how to take the Kyuss sound and run with it in order to create your own style of Heavy. With its long songs heavy on the desert vibe and skewed pop sensibilities, the EP was one of my fave Australian releases of the past couple of years.

Since ruthless objectivity is an illusion anyway, I’ll admit that I was completely amped when I received my copy of ‘Colourblind.’ Woo hoo! Unfortunately, while there are some good tunes on this album, it is no ‘High Octane.’ The new songs are shorter, poppier, more structured, and definitely more radio-friendly. The sound is relatively polished, and the vocals are more up-front. ‘This is Summer’ is perhaps the best example. The falsetto vocals sound like the more commercial tunes from Pavement, and the whole song screams ‘hit single.’ There are numerous other examples. The saving grace is the guitar tone and the few guitar solos that are interspersed throughout the record, but sadly, its not enough. Oddly, the last three songs on the record recall some of the fuzz and humor of the first EP: ‘High Roller’ is a long, spacey, haunting song with a stoney vibe; ‘Shin Ei’ is a short, quirky instro with a cool buzzsaw guitar sound, and Muztard has plenty of excellent psychedelic effects.

I duuno, maybe the group is trying to create a pop metal hybrid to go in the same direction Dernrutledge seemed to be heading when they broke up. At its best, ‘Colourblind’ recalls the more accessible moments from Masters of Reality or Giants of Science. If you like tight, radio-friendly, heavy tunes with influences from all over, then this may be your cup of tea. Sadly, its not mine. The Monstrous boys are undoubtedly nice guys, and I wish them well. But when I feel like some Monstrous riffage in the future, I’ll be reaching for my copy of ‘High Octane.’<br>
Kevin McHugh

[boxquad]

Kevin, Kevin, Kevin.
I completely respect your opinions and find your insights
more than often on the money, but I find this one to be
a little off track.
Having heard a couple of tracks myself and seeing these guys live, your comparisons seem questionable?.

I can't wait to here the album!!!!.
Colourblind is complete killer in their live set, and I just know it's going to be huge on disc!!!.
The two singles Podium, and This is the Summer, ooze with big arse end guitars and pounding beats.
They seem to be at 2 ends of the spectrum and both being brilliant as a whole. (love the lyrics to this is the Summer).

I hear more of a Curtis Mayfield influence with that Falsetto thing, definitely not Pavement and the like.

These guys wreak class, and I'm thinking that maybe Kevin you should give the copy to me, where it's bound to be listened to more than 1 rotation and won't be compared to Kyuss, and the many ripoff bands there are today. ;D

[Kevin]

Hey Box:

Well, I somehow didn't think that review would win me many friends on this board. For the record, I've already listened to it 4 times, just to make sure that my initial misgivings were founded, and to make sure I was calling out all the positivies (as I see them) as well.

The Kyuss comparison was for their first EP, not the new disc. And, again for the record, thats a COMPLIMENT. I'm not down with all the fashionable sounds-like-Kyuss bashing, unless its just a blatant ripoff. All bands have influences, whether they want to admit it or not, so why not pick the best? As far as Pavement goes, the MB song immediately made me think of Pavement's 'Cut your hair.' Maybe I'm off with that one, but thats what I thought of. Curtis Mayfield works, too.

And lastly, as I said in the review, I wish nothing but the best for the band, and I'm glad you've found a group to be enthusiastic about.

[Lax Charisma]

Yeah, hear! hear!
Always been a bit of a fan of Kevin's reviews they are usually insightful well researched and accurate in their comparisons/criticisms...

Whilst I personally was swept away by the new Monstrous Blues disc (that formidable coupling of big riffs, catchy pop sensibilities, and wash of soundscapish guitars)...

There is a more commercial aspect to the sound I suppose but where Kevin appears to see this as an unnecessary compromise I see it as a further step towards the potential sound that Monstrous Blues can muster. I find the balance to be pretty even between polish and substance. I believe that Monstrous Blues could go even more "Mainstream" should they choose but as to where Colourblind has taken them, well the jury shall be out come Feb 3 backed with the tour with Shifter and Rockafella....Alls well that ends well ;D