Monophonics are back with a six-song EP that fuses the
complimentary and explosive soul, rock and funk influences, proving themselves
to be the rightful inheritors of the Bay Area’s impressive psychedelic soul
sound. Mirrors is comprised entirely of cover tunes, except that I doubt you’ve
ever heard of half the deeply funky and soulful originals that inspired these
soulful, tastefully produced, and timeless Monophonics treatments. “We wanted
to do a couple songs that were more familiar to people and then shine some
light on groups we’re big into,” lead singer, keyboardist and co-producer Kelly
Finnigan explains. It takes a lot of guts to cover your favorite songs, your
van jams, that song you play as a shot of inspiration to break-up a marathon
studio session. “Not only are these great songs, but these are artists that we
listen to and are influenced by.”
“It’s not about making records that sound old, it’s about
making records that sound cool,” Kelly says. Not that he and the other five
members of Monophonics mind if you confuse their albums for classic-era
recordings. Even musician friends regularly mistake a sweaty and greasy
Monophonics original for an unheard Bar-Kays’ side, or a deep soul cover tune
might pass for an original to a novice ear, except that Kelly makes sure to
give credit where credit is due, which is what they do explicitly on this EP,
Mirrors.
Even the familiar tunes, iconic, better said, receive a
fresh treatment as instrumentals, despite their ubiquity as vocal songs. The EP
opens with a ‘tip of the cap’ to The Main Ingredient’s version of “Summer
Breeze” before the band unfolds a hazy, mellow-funk opus worthy of inclusion on
a Bob James CTI album. The next four songs, all featuring vocals, range from
the lowrider soul ballad, a cover of the The Invicibles’ “My Heart Cries”
(video: https://youtu.be/PG107nMMCeo0) with a pleading and plaintive vocal by
Nicole Smith, to the psychedelic blues stomp, “Lying,” originally by the
archetypical psychedelic soul band nearly signed to Motown, Black Merda. Add in
Kelly’s monster vocal take on Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons Northern Soul
classic, “Beggin” (to be released as a 7” single with an instrumental version
on the b-side), and the deep-funk pop-soul of Nu People’s “I’d be Nowhere
Without You” with back-up vocals by Jeanine Jones and Veronica Johnson, and you
have a highly-entertaining, toe-tapping, backbone-slipping, masterclass in deep
funk and soul.
The final tune is the band’s singular take on the Mamas and
the Papas hippie standard, “California Dreaming,” as an explicit and heartfelt
tribute to their fans in Greece. The discerning music lovers of Greece fell in
love with Monophonics after their 2012 hit “Bang Bang” resulting in multiple
tours of the Mediterranean, where these native Californians imbibed on the fine
ouzo, good vibes, and Grecian hospitality. Gifted a prized bouzouki (a
traditional Greek guitar) by a local fan, Monophonics’ guitarist Ian McDonald
and band infused this classic pop song with a soulful cinematic air and Mediterranean
flavor, evoking a tune from an imagined Fellini film with a soundtrack by David
Axelrod.
Catch the band on the road this Spring to hear some of these
songs, favorites and new tunes from their forthcoming LP.
TOUR DATES
02-06 @ HiFi Music Hall – Eugene, OR
02-07 @ Volcanic Theatre Pub – Bend, OR
02-08 @ Wild Buffalo – Bellingham, WA
02-09 @ Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
02-10 @ The Crocodile – Seattle, WA
02-11 @ The Crocodile – Seattle, WA
02-16 @ Sweetwater Music Hall – Mill Valley, CA
02-17 @ Sweetwater Music Hall – Mill Valley, CA
02-18 @ Crystal Bay Club – Crystal Bay, NV
02-21 @ The Top Hat Lounge – Missoula, MT
02-22 @ Rialto Bozeman – Bozeman, MT
02-24 @ Animas City Theatre – Durango, CO
03-02 @ Schmiggity’s Live Music Dance Bar – Steamboat
Springs, CO
03-03 @ Cervantes’ Other Side – Denver, CO
03-08 @ Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
03-09 @ Paradise Theatre – Paonia, CO
03-10 @ Sheridan Opera House – Telluride, CO
TRACKLISTING
Summer Breeze
My Heart Cries
Beggin’
Lying
I’d Be Nowhere Today
California Dreaming
Official Site: http://monophonics.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monophonics
Twitter: https://twitter.com/monophonicsfunk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monophonicsphoto
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