Album Review :
Sainthood Reps - Monoculture
By Eric Pettersson in Reviews | Comments closed
Artist: Sainthood Reps
Album: Monoculture
Label: Tooth & Nail Records
Release Date: August 9, 2011
Reviewer: Eric Pettersson
Tracklisting
- Monoculture
- DINGUS
- Telemarketeer
- Animal Glue
- Hunter
- No/Survival
- Hotfoot
- Holiday Makers
- reactor, reactor, reactor, REACTOR!
- Widow
Bursting out of Long Island, Tooth & Nail’s newest act, Sainthood Reps, brings the label back to its earlier sounds of bands like Frodus, Blenderhead, Ninety Pound Wuss, and other grunge-inspired, post-hardcore punk rockers. With apparent influences ranging from Fugazi and Smashing Pumpkins to (recent) Brand New and (early) mewithoutYou, Sainthood Reps deliver fuzzy, crunching guitars, pounding bass, and emotionally-charged vocals.
If two words could describe Monoculture, they would be “literary” and “distortion.” “Literary” because even before you dissect the lyrics, you can tell this is a band that puts thought into their words, describing life with depth and poetry. “Distortion” because the whole album is filled with scratchy guitars and other sounds, sometimes even putting effects on the rough vocals.
The opening title track criticizes a world where everything is commercialized and homogenized, and the rest of the record continues to challenge the listener with edgy music and social criticism. Many of the songs speak of tragedy caused by greed or pride, emphasizing with punk rock zeal why we do not want to follow the example of corporate America.
Overall: If you’re looking for music with a little more bite to it, go pick up a copy of Sainthood Reps’ debut, Monoculture. It’s heavy enough that the hardcore kids should be able to enjoy it and melodic enough that indie rockers should have no problem grabbing onto it either. And perhaps most importantly, all you old school Tooth and Nail fans can stop complaining about the label’s new bands, because Sainthood Reps will fulfill your punk rock cravings.