- Monsters Calling Home
I can’t remember the exact details but it was in February of this year that I first came across Monsters Calling Home (MCH). I had followed First Aid Kit and then MCH followed me, a normal publicity tactic for getting yourself noticed, and I was curious as to who they were.
The first track I heard was titled Monsters Calling Home and honestly I wasn’t sure about it from the first listen. The more I listened to it the more I liked it. Growing Up was next and I loved this the first time I heard it because I could relate to the sentiment. I even watched the YouTube video of the band performing this live – they are sat on a stage performing to family and friends, a church group?. I don’t know who, but I really liked that it was informal and natural.
More recently they made a video for a new track called Fight to Keep. The Video is funny as the band all perform their piece in the back of their car(s). Honda’s apparently! Its my new favourite and I just cant wait to hear what’s next to come from them. Having only been founded in September they seem to be getting better and better.
There is currently no wiki page for the band but they have some basic details on their Facebook page. They describe their sound as ‘Gangster Folk Oriental’. I don’t think it does them justice. I am not even sure that I am their target audience, white, English, older but I like them all the same. On Facebook they list their influences as Yung Humma and Flynt Flossy– I had no idea who these people were until I went to YouTube to check them out. I was curious at to know what the music they felt they were influenced by was like.
Interesting?! To be fair I only listened to one track called ‘keep the jeep ridin’’ and the intro sounds like it has been sampled from the theme tune to an old English TV show called Grange Hill. From about 0.15 sec – 0.36.
This is the Flint Flossy link:
Now check out the Grange Hill intro:
Maybe its just me!
However, I do like that they have a sense of humour, but without listening to more I can only say that musically the similarities aren’t so obvious, if at all. Maybe its the band image or the rap lyrics that they are inspired by, but they are a fun band.
The tracks that I could find online performed by the band are:
Track listing:
Original
- Monsters Calling Home
- Growing Up
- Fight to Keep
Covers
- Delicate (Damien Rice)
- Mr Brightside (The Killers)
- Only One (The Black Keys)
Unfortunately, they are based in California so who knows when they will be performing in the UK, so check them out via any of the links below.
Links
Bandcamp – you can buy their tracks online here, not can, you should. I love free music as much as the next person but with a minimum of $1, how can you say resist? http://monsterscallinghome.bandcamp.com/
Links to soundcloud account http://soundcloud.com/monsterscallinghome
Link to twitter account @MonstersCalling
Facebook – check out their timeline for video performances https://www.facebook.com/monsterscallinghome
Want to know more?
The Dishmaster – recorded interview with the lead singer/General Manager Alex Hwang
Pacific Citizen – piece about the band and their church roots
http://www.pacificcitizen.org/news/entertainment/church-roots-%E2%80%98monsters-calling-home%E2%80%99
Angry Asian Man– blog post
Thanks for the links wil check them.
ReplyDeleteInteresting read and also a pleasure.
Yvonne.