Moneen – The World I Want To Leave Behind

Fans will still recognize Moneen on the band’s new album, The World I Want To Leave Behind, although it’s quite different than the band’s three previous efforts. With anticipation building since 2007’s Saying Something You Have Already Said, fans should be pleased yet surprised at first listen. The album has the melodies and personal lyrics that the band is known for, but it is calmer and more somber than anything the band has released to date, with a lack of fist-pumping tracks that listeners might have been expecting.

Though the band pushed themselves to experiment with new instrumentation and a new style (with new drummer Steve Nunnaro), Lead singer Kenny Bridges said on the band’s MySpace that they weren’t trying to reinvent themselves, but they wanted to try out some things that they were scared to do before.

On previous albums, Bridges’ vocals were much more forceful, and that aggression is sparsely heard on The World. The album is led by the guitars and drums, which are true to Moneen’s style, though they are more refined and mature. “The Way” and “Waterfalls” are perfect examples of the subdued side of Moneen. Strings can be heard throughout both songs. Each time the strings launch into “Waterfalls,” the acoustic song becomes a little more powerful, but the vocals stay soft and submissive. Luckily, after both of the aforementioned songs, the tracks liven up. Halfway through the album the songs pick up speed, but still aren’t exactly what is expected of Moneen. “The Long Count” rocks hard with driving guitars at the intro, but when Bridges enters, his vocals are more restrained than the music would suggest.

Closing track “The Glasshouse” is more of what listeners would expect from Moneen. Driving guitars start the song off and then the dynamic vocal lines enter that have been absent on most of the other 11 tracks. Dual vocals intertwining the melody and screaming give the song that extra oomph that makes it the best six minutes on The World. The sing-a-long of “I told you to get out, while you still can/ You told me to get out cause I don’t care” breaks out in the end to add to the catchiness.

The album toys with what is expected of Moneen, but never quite fulfills that desire. There is an equal flow between the new, more grown-up Moneen and the songs that hint at the band’s past, which saves the album from being a letdown. Even though the ‘classic’ Moneen shines through the most during “The Glasshouse,” it’s better late than never to give an audience what it’s been craving, and at least The World I Want To Leave Behind concludes with a bang.

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Tagged as: Indie Rock, Ontario

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