Future Monarchs

When I jump into an album I plan on reviewing I scribble down random thoughts. Half way through Deserters, the newest album from Future Monarchs my scratch pad was a mess. I'm going to take you through my initial though process, as typed out in stream of consciousness form.

'What the Fuck? This opening riff sounds like it was used in the intro of Bonanza. Wait, I like where this is going...it has some New Pornographers girthyness. WAIT. Now it sounds like The Shins...it's like James Mercer riding on a horse. (LOLz because I'm imagining James Mercer in a cowboy hat). This bridge is an interesting change up.....it's almost like Supertramp is doing a shoulder massage train with Of Montreal. No. It's exactly like that. And the lube just spilled. Fuck this song is great.....'

Obviously, my pallet was exploding. Future Monarchs are like a delicious wine that I wouldn't want my parents to see me drinking because its grapes were not harvested from the Southern facing slopes of Sonoma in 2008. Rather, Future Monarchs are a complex, yet cheap (fun) buzz; they come packaged in a box and are throughly enjoyed when poured out of a push-button plastic spout.

As a whole, Deserters is just...so....oddly satisfying. I'm not sure how I can otherwise describe it. Future Monarchs are somehow able to incorporate a pants load of material/ideas into an album without anything sounding out of place. Maybe it's because when so many elements are being thrown in from left field, left field becomes the norm.

Even when things slow down and become less complex like on tracks 'Anything That You Need' and 'What You Want Me To Do' their odd universe is still in alignment. The production is consistently and crisply hi-fi, the harmonies are bangin' and the tone of the lead singer's vocals anchor everything down.

Future Monarchs may not be everybody's cup of Gazpacho....but lets face it, anything that is universally accepted universally blows. I appreciate the Fuck out of what these assholes are doing because it's experimental, bright, and listener friendly. It's rare when these elements collide, let alone, actually work. I wish more bands would do this. It keeps music interesting. I welcome this cup of Gazpacho. I urge you to taste this Gazpacho.