Customer Reviews

You Are There

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Often referred to as Japan's answer to Explosions In The Sky, Mono are an instrumental post rock band whose sound relies heavily on clean guitar arrangements amidst delicate drumming and, at times, ethereal string accompaniment. Though the obvious comparison to Explosions In The Sky is a fair one, I would say Mono are more of a similar line of questioning rather than an 'answer' to the Texan group. Both of these bands formed around the same time and just so happen to create similar music. Comparisons aside, Mono already have three stellar releases behind them, as well as a full length collaboration album with the IDM group World's End Girlfriend. With each passing release, Mono have shown no indication of an abrupt change in sound, and You Are There is no exception. Rather than completely change their sound and approach on each release, these individuals seem content with simply building upon what they have already created. Now, with their fourth full length, Mono prove once again that simplicity can be just as powerful as complexity.

Of the year or so I've been listening to this band, I have never been able to bring myself to pick a favorite album. You Are There doesn't seem to make this any easier, as it is in many ways as strong as anything they have ever done. The songs within this album, not unlike their previous efforts, often build upon single repetitive chord progressions. On the surface this may seem incredibly boring, and in all likelihood would be to someone otherwise unfamiliar with this type of music. On the other hand, those diving into this album already knowing what to expect should be more than pleased.

It should be mentioned, however, that this album is far from just a few simple notes being played over and over again for an hour (oddly enough, this cd clocks in at exactly sixty minutes). "Yearning", which appeared on their '05 split with Pelican, fools you with it's first 7 and a half minutes of elegant picking and reverb-heavy strumming, only to crush you with a wall of distortion and noise after a brief upheaval of sullen ambience. Upon my first, and even second listen of this album, I literally jumped in my seat during this part. As indicated, this band clearly knows how to create more than just quiet melodies.

With that said, I must admit that the their more reserved moments are more enjoyable. It is incredible how much Mono seem to be capable of in even their shortest songs such as "The Remains of the Day". A lucid piano melody is played through the first third of the track over what seems to be an endless sea of crashing waves and simplistic string arrangements, all before giving way to the fading guitar ambience that this group has mastered so exquisitely. This ambience sets up the next, best, and last song on the album with great success.

Distant strumming is engulfed within a reflective keyboard arrangement before taking on a world of its own; and what an incredibly beautiful world it is. As previously mentioned, many of the tracks within this album are built upon repetitive chord progressions, often lasting many minutes at a time. One such occurance of this takes up the first three minutes of the track, changes for the next minute, and is then overlapped by one of the most beautiful guitar melodies I have ever heard. This melody continues slowly while being held together by a light drum pattern, until finally it is nearly absorbed (but not overtaken) by a cascading array of distortion and cymbals. I will not even bother trying to further explain this part of the album with words, as you must experience on your own to fully appreciate it.

If there are any faults that I can find with this album, I would say that a couple of the tracks aren't nearly as memorable as the rest. "A Heart Has Asked for the Pleasure" seems to just kind of exist and has yet to impress me after my sixth listen of the album. "Are You There?" is a full ten minutes long, but I'm left thinking that it could have been much better than it is, as it stands. Still, these aforementioned songs are in no way bad and could even be looked upon as mere precursors to the great songs that precede and follow them.

In just six years, this four piece has managed to create what have become worthy and even influential albums within their genre. With multiple (or even only a few) listens to You Are There, one would not be out of line in saying that Mono have done that very same thing yet again. After fully absorbing this album for more than a week, and never having been even remotely disappointed by an offering of theirs, I feel content in now stating that Mono are one of the five best post rock bands in the world.

--Matthew Dyess

Headline: Today Was An Ordinary Day You Can't Return

Unless it is all about the sometimes very cliché titles, I just don't understand why Post-Rock has become a very taboo thing amongst music aficionados. If it has to do with anything, it must be the fact that songs are too long, they have often weirdly worded titles, and well they say nothing. But they often don't see the good side of post-rock: they can soundtrack feelings that you can never be able to express correctly in public. Plus, post-rock is a good way to prove that "actions speak louder than words". Also, the real post-rock has ways of binding rock music with the epic stretches of classical music, which brings us to our favorite post-rock culprits out of Japan MONO.

The one thing we can love about post-rock album is the fact that most of them have a concept that fits just fine. This album is usually for anyone who likes to make out feelings just by the sound of music, like I once did with the incredibly optimistic "Halcyon" from the shamelessly titled Walking Cloud, Deep Red Sky, Flag Flutters, and the Sun Shined. (Just the title to give a band like Lumen reason to think that post-rock is nothing more than boredom, and hush-hush.) The entire album also does something crazy in the music world, and uses the entire album as a way to soundtrack a day in a can, rather than just leave it all to feeling. Following in the footsteps of Mogwai, the opening song "The Flames Beyond the Cold Mountain" (better known as the sun) takes at least 3 minutes to set up an adventure, just so the tracks can be a little more independent as well as epic. "Flames" has a melancholy melody that suggests a deep and dark feeling leading to absolute self-rage, before subsiding enough to hit you again, making Mogwai's "Summer" look like "Ohio Is For Lovers". It also soundtracks the beam of light coming over the city so beautifully. A good example of a post-metal instrumental that has more to say than any emo or nu-metal band you ever came across in your life, and just the right volume of common emotion. Call it an emotion that next comes one of the two songs that will EVER meet single length called "The Heart Has Asked for the Pleasure", the song that to many may feel like joy or just plain morningtime. "Yearning" is the type of song that soundtracks appreciation and beauty before sneaking up behind you and kicking you to the ditch 7 and a half minutes later with the sound of sheer pessimism in the wires that keep the skin of your hearts intact. Translation: "Yearning" brings the sound of the morning crossing over to the afternoon, which is where "Are You There?" comes in.

"Are You There?" takes a while to introduce to you a journey looking for the very hope they wish to find in the glistening rivers, glitter sky, and the trees that follow. (Yes, I can hear all of that in the record.) There is a moment where they just breakdown in the instrumental they could have used all the opportunity they had to blow us away, but the fact that they had restrained makes the song even more easy to cuddle up to. "The Remains of the Day" is the type of song that actually soundtracks the day ending, as you get ready for bed, in which you have nothing to carry you to Morpheus but the brightening and mysterious "Moonlight". There you have it. Another day spent. Another CD ends without interruption or intentions to confuse anyone.

So I guess there is more to this album then the fact that it can predict feelings. Not to ape Explosions in the Sky, but think of each song as a time of day. You Are There soundtracks the entire day from dawn to the midnight hour all in under an hour, I suppose. Half of you may hate this record, or think it really means nothing, but to me, it is albums like this that proceed to make albums like M83 sound desperate for attention. (Apologies to Anthony Gonzalez.)

Rating: 10/10

Is the word I would use to describe the sound that this record brings, same goes for the like the album art. The opening track "the flames beyond the cold mountain" is an epic start to the album and builds anticipation and suspense, just what I look for to begin a cd such as this one. Although the record is extremely beautifully sounding I also found at times being drawn into the music so much that it conjured up a mixture of feelings and images, maybe that was due to a lack of sleep. Apart from that every other time I listen to it I am soothed with beautiful sound scapes and relaxed but on the tips of my toes at the same time. This album shows a great example Tokyo's finest, most epic and fixating band. I suggest if you really want to be astounded by an album buy this one. Extremely swooning

The opening violins and delay/reverbed guitar strumming instantly remind me of the apocalyptic pieces by Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and that's great, because I crave their influence more and more. But upon my fifth listen of this album I quickly realize that Mono has its own unique style. With the harmony already embedded in my mind, I find myself humming along the minimal melodies, following the well thought out paths laid out by this Japanese post-rock band. I rush to a local store through a rainy night and pick up other releases (ALL if I can find them!), and treasure every track without regret. This is not just a side mention of a newly discovered post-rock goodness - this is a thrust into your ear with a proclamation to pick up this (and other) albums. I'm sure you'll see Mono some more in my future rotations, as I get more personal with the band. Favorite track (if again, not the entire album) - The Flames Beyond the Cold Mountain and Yearning.

Why does it seem to be so important to categorize bands and music in general? I saw a lot of "post-something" in the reviews of this album, and it just doesn't make any sense. Do you really think that these musicians care about what category their art is gonna fall into as they craft it? These Japanese geniuses do what they do best without caring for labels, if you people had been fortunate enough to see them live, you wouldn't try to fit them anywhere...
If you want to write a useful review for readers to know a bit more what they're getting into, comparing Mono to their buddies in Pelican and their labelmates Explosions In The Sky seems slighly more relevant to me, rather than trying to figure out what the hell kind of music they're making.
I saw these guys open for Pelican, and I just had to buy "You Are There" at the show. You're not likely to find this kind of hauntingly beautiful experience with any other band. Their 10+mn compositions go crescendo, making your legs shake as the walls of noise follow the quiet melodies.
Just listen to "The Flames Beyond The Cold Mountain" or "Moonlight" with your eyes closed, and you'll see what I mean. "You Are There" is an enchanting experience, it's not the most technically complex album ever, but it simply swallows you in its own universe, leaving you in awe when it's over. Oh, and it's produced by Steve Albini by the way...
No need to classify this release, except in the masterpiece section.

3 1/2


Consisting of the usual few epics alongside more mellow introspections, YAT represents the band in the final thresholds of songwriting integrity before seemingly running out of juice.

I can never seem to get enough of this album. While Mono's melancholic post-rock sound reminds more often than not of Explosions in the Sky, their progression into the songs' climaxes are less steeped and lead to less bombastic "explosions", which help make the overall style of the Japanese band a bit "quieter" than that of their Texan counterparts.

Having heard three other of their albums, including their work alongside World's End Girlfriend, I can say this is their best production so far. Too bad I was sick when they came through town...

I just can't get into it anymore.

When I first learned of this group I was definitely interested in hearing what they sound like, and as my first, and likely last, Mono album I really can't say I like what I hear.

I do give credit for the group's ambition to create an atmosphere through relatively simplistic instrumentation, and sure enough they do manage to create some strong emotional context within their music. But aside from that I don't find much else of merit.

Don't expect anything truly experimental with this album--I won't discredit any of their other works as I really wouldn't know. The album is divided between long--10 to 15 minutes--roller coaster tracks that grow from slow and placid to heftily layered walls of sound and back again, and two short instrumentals both nearly 4 minutes in length.

To my ear the two different kinds of tracks all sound like each other; the long tracks cascade back and forth between low and moody to fast and robust, and back again and back again. I literally felt like I was listening to the same tracks over and over, despite the (somewhat) different melodies. And the short tracks don't pick up much from their start and die out just the same.

It would make sense to say that visually the music is reminiscent of the cover art, of snowy mountains with fiery light beyond them (the first track addresses this image clearly), and perhaps the even range of the songs' tempo and volume portray these mountains, but to me that just sounds like a tacky ploy meant only for new age musicians.

I'll admit I think the music is really quite beautiful, as cliched as it is, but I can't think of anything else that has quite the same amount of emotional dexterity as this, but I guess it just isn't for me.

This is another stellar effort from Mono. After hearing a track of theirs from a indieworkshop.com sampler, I was hooked, and if you have a jones for post-rock grandeur this will not dissapoint...

beautiful just like the stars in the sky being swallowed whole by a merciless black hole and you know you're next.