Mmm … Edition: Mamuthones, Montero & The Messthetics

Mamuthones: Fear On The Corner

Now for something a little different, here are three new albums that have nothing in common except for one thing — and also I think you should listen to all of them. First up are Mamuthones from Italy who are a little bit weird and fun and groovy with ripples of serious ripping and shreddage. Their new record is Fear On The Corner and it is all over the place in a really good way. Depending on where you land in the album and what your perspective is, you may hear a range of familiar influences – Talking Heads rhythms or head-spinning psychedelic. Apparently, the album title is a mash-up of the Heads’ Fear of Music and Miles Davis’ On the Corner which, whether that’s true or not, maybe gives you some perspective on what they’re shooting for, if not only halfway summing it up. Anyway, check it out!

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Montero: Performer

Hmmm … let’s see what I’ve got for you next. Ah yes, it’s Montero, which is the project of Ben Montero from Melbourne, Australia. His new album, Performer has flavors of some of the softer side of Tame Impala (indeed, it was co-produced by and features Jay Watson from Tame Impala), but it’s also kind of tough to wrap up in a single description. Each song seems to be its own ’70s rock universe, with uplifting, anthemic moments, more dream-psych headspin stuff and plenty of lovely, subtle moments in between. It’s all great, but there are a couple songs on here that would’ve been sing-along hits back in an FM-radio-hit world. “Vibrations” is a press-repeat-listen-again song for me, but pick your favorite, much to love here, I think. I hope you dig it. Also, check out that album artwork, also done by Montero.

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The Messthetics: The Messthetics

My, my, my, one more to go. That’s The Messthetics from Washington D.C., which is a newish project featuring Fugazi’s rhythm section of Brendan Canty on drums and Joe Lally on bass backing Anthony Pirog on guitar. Their self-titled debut is an instrumental fusion of rock and jazz and things that have no tidy name. Recorded mostly live in-studio, it feels it – thrilling, electrified and improvised and sort of untethered at times, in a good way. The juxtaposition of without-a-net music on an album whose cover features tightrope walkers over a safety net is a cheeky one, for sure. Headbanging experimental music for getting your rocks off, what more could you want? Mmm … enjoy!

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