Forget Locking Your Closet:
These 'Monsters' Ain't Scaring Nobody.
(From L-R: Oberst, Mogis, Ward, James)
On paper, Monsters Of Folk sounds supremely awesome. A "supergroup" consisting of the biggest names in twenty-first century folk music: My Morning Jacket's Jim James, whose sweet tenor melts like maple syrup over his group's alternative country-tinged tracks; Bright Eyes' prolific lyricist and vocalist Conor Oberst, plus multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis; and lastly, indie singer/songwriter M. Ward, who wields his acoustic axe with purpose and plays with notable attention to detail. Unfortunately, this album suffers a nasty bout of lazy lyricism and even lazier production. While Oberst lays off the warbly affectation, one can't help but miss the stripped-down sincerity of his solo work. The overuse of reverb and echo distract from the group's masterful harmonies. Oberst's Dylanesque musings are MIA: instead, listeners are subjected to choruses full of "la la la's". The Monsters' real accomplishment is the instrumentation - a carefully concocted soufflé of skillful strumming, finger-picking and delicate solos. Props to Master Chef, M. Ward. While MOF makes for elegant aural wallpaper, the record left me wishing these folkies would put down the pipe and stop folkin' around.
Grade: B-/C+
Key Tracks: Say Please, Magic Marker
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