“Remember all the days you were so lonely. When leaving wasn’t the only thing on your mind.”
Trying to standout among the New Brunswick music scene isn’t an easy task. It’s a community that’s absolutely packed with incredible potential and exciting new sounds, but Monterey is standing out in a very unique way. Just give their EP “The King’s Head” a listen, then take it over to their latest EP “Sailors.” The band’s exploration of new sounds came at the perfect time to complement the complete change over to more emotional and personal records that are swarming our ears. The switch over from Americana to Indie Rock is an odd one, but in this case it really worked for the trio.
Although there’s a formula and deep emotion to the EP, there is no denying the pulsing energy flowing through all four songs. At times it gets a bit overly sentimental, particularly in its lyrics, the band’s ability to turn out anthemic songs makes up for any downfall from the lyrics. Opening song “Can’t Live Like This” has a surf rock quality that pulses through to mix with a light punk rock sound that feels like the overarching trend of their new sound.
However, the clear standout from the release has to be single “Sailors.” It’s the type of song that demands to be heard. With an incredibly melodic verse giving way to an assaulting chorus and working its way to a absolute high point finish complete with gang vocals and all. What’s more impressive is the song is the darkest point lyrically. The song gorgeously complements the EP closer “The Battle” which further explores the albums dark roots with an all out jam.
The best part about “Sailors” is that it’s such an easy listen. It’s an energetic four song EP that just gives you jam after jam. There’s definitely room to grow as the band discovers their new sound, but if this is any indication, they’re moving in the right direction.
You can preorder “Sailors” over on iTunes and check out our interview with the band here!
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.
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