Some bands are content to exist within a certain genre, remaining within a safe range of sounds, while others are daring enough to try and cultivate a unique sound.  Monty has joined the ranks of the latter group with the release of The Red Shift.  Nearly every aspect of the album smacks of pure creativity and originality.

Musically, the band has accomplished much in The Red Shift.  They do a wonderful job blending their ska background with the more straight-up rock and roll style.  Singer Steve Aiello has a wonderful voice, of a tone that would fit perfectly in any ska band, or even a more emo band.  However, combined with the rest of the vocalists, and with the sound produced by the rest of the band, the result does not sound like ska or emo.  Multiple singers add a level to the vocal power and harmonies that most bands fail to achieve.  A stunning example of this multiplicity is the chorus of the second track Castle Bound, which is a call and answer between trumpeter Ryan Muir and Aiello, but instances of vocal superiority are abundant throughout the album. 

The trumpet and trombone parts that appear in just about every song are straight out of ska, but again, blend with the rock guitar and bass to create a sound that is uniquely their own. However, they are not afraid to revisit to their past, as the pure ska bridge of Between the Sheets shows.  These parts are tasteful and well blended into the background of the songs, but still noticeable and a vital aspect of the band’s sound. 

The band also does a great deal of experimentation with sound.  The intro of Castle Bound would be a perfect theme song to any old school Nintendo role playing or hero game.  When the song actually takes off, this riff is played in a more traditional sounding guitar, but the feeling of the Nintendo game still lingers over the entire song, blending perfectly with the lyrics.  The intro and conclusion of Metropolis are also a blend of interesting sounds, linking piano and a harpsichord sounding instrument, played slowly and beautifully, a dire contrast to the rest of the song, hard and fast.  A similar, but still original, intro is played before the previous song, Island City.  The end of O Brother, has a wonderful break for the last repetition of chorus, sung a cappella by the band, harmonized and reverberated, until a traditional chorus comes in and takes over until the end of the song, changing the expected sound of the entire band.  But while exploring these sounds, Monty does not forget to play with the feel of each song, ranging from the hard hitting energy of Between the Sheets, to the upbeat ska feel of O Brother, and then on into the ballad Island City.  No two songs sound alike, but are all without a doubt the products of the same band, which is a major part of what I look for in a CD.

My personal favorite part of the album is the lyrics.  Unlike many bands, they have meaning.  This album explores many different sides of the human experience.  Of course, there is the relationship focused song, Between the Sheets, which is my favorite song on the album, whose point is defined very well by the chorus, as a song should be.  “I don’t wanna be your lover, I just wanna be myself.”  But the album also discusses a plethora of other topics, such as a hero rushing off to rescue a damsel, questioning the origin of his love “Is it love, is it is it love, when heroes risk it all?” (Castle Bound), a tribute to soldiers and the life they live “When the gun smoke clears, we’ll still salute you” (O Brother), and a song of mourning for a lost grandmother (Away With Two Chairs).  The band has taken a close, hard look at the world around them, and The Red Shift seems to be the sum total of their observations.

The only criticism of this CD is that some of the songs are a bit on the long side, and it is difficult to listen to them all the way through, despite the mastery of the content.  Aside from this however, The Red Shift is a masterpiece of the originality, creativity, and hard work of a group of very talented young men.  While obvious favorites do stand out for me, the entire album is well worth listening to.  Do yourself a favor and pick it up.