Mono – “You Are There” – [Temporary Residence]

Numa   5/4/2006   A Library, CD

Japanese Orchestral Rock. Japanese four-piece playing dreams that turn violent. In the company of fine bands such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Tarentel, and Explosions in the Sky; Mono plays to the darker side of your psyche. Moments of serenity are jarred by blaring riffs from Yoda and Takaakria ‘Taka? Goto while Tamaki and Yasunori Takada fill in the bottom end with head-swaying bass and drums. This album consists 6 tracks; four longer tracks ranging from 10-15 minutes and two shorter ones to allow you to catch your breath. Temporary Residence really knows talent when they see it, I’ve yet to be disappointed by a release from their label. In the six years that Mono have been together, they have graduated from John Zorn’s Tzdaik label to Temporary Residence’s kindred spirit in Japan; Human Highway Records. The only short-coming of this album, is it wasn’t two CDs. — Numa