Published August 4, 2009
Foreign Monkeys draw on simplicity and charisma for their fuel, and never grasp beyond their immediate reach, resulting in a satisfying, although not very surprising, modern rock romp. The crunchy, saturated guitars lead us expertly through the more progressive numbers, such as DunDun and Black Cave, but get a little lost in simpler territory, where firmer, more assertive strokes would have been more welcome in the production. The hungry, angst-ridden vocals range from teeny annoyance to flat-out brilliance, often in the same track, leaving the drums as the only consistent force on the album. This would ordinarily result in some loss of accessibility, but the drums plod and stomp with such virtuous grace and power that you are not left wanting, and although it is uneven and imperfect, π is an example of garage rock at its finest and most entertaining.
- MySpace foreignmonkeys
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