The Monks Kitchen:
Music From The Music Kitchen:
WonderfulSound:
Out 18th November:
★★★
After several years of pretty much giving their music away, folk troubadours The Monks Kitchen break the habit (sorry) of a lifetime and invite you to cough up your cash for this, their second album.
After courting attention from people previously involved with the likes of Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher and The Libertines (but sadly, no actual direct involvement with any of the three artists themselves), this London-based ensemble return from hiding with renewed vigour and a busy, sprawling collection of weary drunken folk, skiffle-style sketches and plaintive melancholia that neither outstays its welcome nor ignites a party atmosphere.
What 'Music From...' does do is intrigue the listener. Storms lash the opening track 'On a Dark Black Ocean' just to get you in the mood, while a variety of broadsides fired across the bows of this agreeable salvo of eighteen songs and themes conjure up warm sunsets and fresh spring mornings. With such a volume of songs, you'd be forgiven for presuming 'Music From...' drags its heels - not so. Sure, some of the songs are wantonly half-speed and reflective but for every ballad there's a knees-up just around the corner. Of the former, 'Dawn Song' is rather pretty and brief while the latter camp has the Beatles-esque/Lilac Time homage 'I Wanna Go' to pep things up.
Acoustically minded, The Monks Kitchen sit somewhere close to Villagers and Hhymn rather than say, Mumford and Sons, which may or may not throw people towards their accomplished and serviceable sound pronto. I can't help thinking that buyers in springtime might embrace this album far quicker than a late autumnal release but we shall see.
Music From The Music Kitchen:
WonderfulSound:
Out 18th November:
★★★
After courting attention from people previously involved with the likes of Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher and The Libertines (but sadly, no actual direct involvement with any of the three artists themselves), this London-based ensemble return from hiding with renewed vigour and a busy, sprawling collection of weary drunken folk, skiffle-style sketches and plaintive melancholia that neither outstays its welcome nor ignites a party atmosphere.
What 'Music From...' does do is intrigue the listener. Storms lash the opening track 'On a Dark Black Ocean' just to get you in the mood, while a variety of broadsides fired across the bows of this agreeable salvo of eighteen songs and themes conjure up warm sunsets and fresh spring mornings. With such a volume of songs, you'd be forgiven for presuming 'Music From...' drags its heels - not so. Sure, some of the songs are wantonly half-speed and reflective but for every ballad there's a knees-up just around the corner. Of the former, 'Dawn Song' is rather pretty and brief while the latter camp has the Beatles-esque/Lilac Time homage 'I Wanna Go' to pep things up.
Acoustically minded, The Monks Kitchen sit somewhere close to Villagers and Hhymn rather than say, Mumford and Sons, which may or may not throw people towards their accomplished and serviceable sound pronto. I can't help thinking that buyers in springtime might embrace this album far quicker than a late autumnal release but we shall see.