Monocle - Outer Sunset

11.2.08

Monocle released their debut back in Novemeber on Hidden Shoal Recordings and a big favorite round these parts.

here's a review from from Delusions of Adequacy
"For dreamy, slightly psychedelic, shoegazing indie pop, look no further. Monocle, a five-piece outfit from Brooklyn, has weaved together a pensive, stunning new album for Hidden Shoal Recordings. It plays like a soundtrack to a really good movie: the music, rather than hitting the listener in the face, floats out and gently reminds one that, yes, it’s still there.

Monocle’s Outer Sunset is an edgier version of Camera Obscura; Sunny Kim’s mysterious, secretive vocals are reminiscent of such bands, and Matt Filler’s haunting riffs could be in an Arcade Fire album. Keyboardist Rich Bennett wrote the majority of the songs, but drummer Max Goldman and bassist Dan Shuman are spectacularly talented as well. This warm, contemplative shoegaze pop is at its best on tracks like “Green Future,” “Emmanuelle,” and “Road Sign.” Outer Sunset has a subtle energy that flows almost tangibly throughout each track, and this understated approach does not lessen the impact, but rather renders it unmistakable. Multi-layered and involving, Outer Sunset manages to be avant-garde and accessible simultaneously, which is no small feat. Each song offers up something new, and “Wave Goodbye” stands out as possibly the strongest of the bunch.

Outer Sunset hits the shelves in early 2008, and Monocle has made a dazzling album. This is an ethereal, complex and simply excellent new release for HSR, and Monocle is a band to look out for in the future."

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