Customer Reviews

Mona Lisa Overdrive

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So refreshing to hear this kind of music. It is creative, non rock ego, imaginative & cathartic. In a world where pop music sounds good, but you are usually able to tell exactly where it is going, where it will take you next...what it reminds you of... I give TRASHMONK 5 stars because you don't know where the beautiful music is going to next. And this is a nice suprise... it doesn't remind me of anyone new. It's original and easy to listen to. Definetely sophisticated music for people who like to be "taken" by music. Remember Dream Academy? This is the lead singer, and he sounds better than ever.

Filled with highs and lows, never stopping at middle ground, Trashmonk takes the listener on an emotional journey, and it's quite a trip. At times reminiscient of musical influences such as the Beatles, John Lennon, Nick Drake, Nirvana... Don't miss it!

While we were making this record we listened to. Nick Drake - Pink Moon,
Nico - Chelsea Girl, Van Morrison - Astral Weeks, Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen, Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks and we listened to Stina Nordenstam's People are Strange after it was all finished. (we liked that too)
Relationships started and ended during the course of making this record, and many of those highs and lows are reflected. It is an honest record and you don't get many of those anymore. Mr Karma is the spitual origin of the Album, you can hear it on the "extra tracks" version on the album.

I find it interesting that Nick Laird-Clowes name does not appear once on this CD - not even in the liner notes. Almost as if he didn't want to [ruin]his reputation...

I gave this CD one star - which it deserves. The song "Girl I Used 2 Know" isn't bad. But everything else on this CD is far below the standards I would have expected. Based on the quality of the 3 Dream Academy releases, I had high expectations for "Trashmonk". I was greatly disappointed.

Where Dream Academy was melodic and pleasing to the ear, Trashmonk is dark, foreboding, and unapproachable. Where Dream Academy thrills with rich harmonies, tight arrangements, and almost flawless production, this recording chills with an obnoxious, fingernails on the chalkboard sound that I would not inflict upon my worst enemy.

If you're a Dream Academy fan, hoping for a small taste of their old sound, look elsewhere - you won't find anything remotely like it here. However if you're a fan of some of Pink Floyd's darker moments, this recording might interest you.

Dream Academy was a masterpiece...don't know why things digressed...I'll still give this writer another chance though--as his original stuff was amazing.

This work by former Dream Academy frontman Nick Laird-Clowes represents a major opportunity to experience something powerful and new. Rather than "dark and foreboding", it is luscious and profound. Don't be fooled by the short clips available on this page - this is a refreshing drink of for the soul.