YOU ARE THERE

After waiting for what seemed an eternity, Mono's You Are There album didn't live up to the expectations I had created for myself. I should have known better, I am a grown man after all and big enough, six foot five, not to let expectation get the better of me. Of course in the meantime I had obtained a copy of the brilliantly atmospheric, darkly menacing, contemplatively aggressive, One More Step And You Die. In the context of things, that album would look to be the point where Mono peaked, and it came very early in their career. You Are There is just lacking in any true depth. The band are playing better and tighter, the structures are probably somewhat more cohesive, but it's the creative element that has diminished from Mono circa 2006. The album, a double, is working on the same basic formula for each lengthy track, some of it hardly sounds any different than anything on the previous album, the one with the stupid long title which goes Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined. Like that one, Steve Albini records and mixes. Like that one, the recording is often left wanting, tired and lacking dynamics. Like that one, this is like that one. Confused? Yes, their are some very emotive parts coming through, as per usual, but the recording is sparse and fails to grab the last burst of life or just the simple fucking energy out of the tracks way too often, especially on the more laid back string augmented tunes. The big and breezy and yearning "Yearning", as part of that split album (with Pelican), really did flatter to deceive. I waited a long time to hear this album and part of the problem in hindsight was the waiting. Yes, it's a good album, but is it good enough? Good enough for what you may ask and/or say. I had expected more from Mono at this stage, but growth does not seem to be their strongest feature. You Are There is regressive progressive rock, and music of our times. We probably deserve it. I hope for their sake they don't continue to use Albini for their next outing because something tells me that if they do the results will not be a million miles away from this one, or the previous album which was also a double album release. If that becomes the case I'll be keeping my money firmly in my pocket.