Slick Monks - Clear Milk

Slick Monks

Clear Milk
self-released; 2015

3.3 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

The intent behind Clear Milk was to give an indicator of who the Slick Monks are. The three- piece band that formed in 2014 certainly do that with the four songs they present but also leave some questions as to what a full-length album would sound like. They experiment with different styles that run the gamut. They certainly can fit under the umbrella of rock but it gets a bit cloudy after that.

Take for instance the first track “May Disarray.” The song starts with no warning and has ominous overtones that segue into a build up. It gets faster and faster and builds to a climax and release that results in a verse that has a film noir type feel. The band is all over the place in terms of intensity. “May Disarray” certainly showed some dynamic diversity and ambition.

The second track “Spaghetti Maze” while not on the same level of complexity or engagement was a fairly straightforward song. It’s fairly catchy but took a little bit of time to sink in. “Elude The Feud” had a bit of Franz Ferdinand but was darker and less dance friendly. The lyrics are slightly humorous and definitely interpretive. He sings, “Slow down, you’ll lose the feeling, To beat around and lose the meaning, You walk just like the way you flick your hair, As your hair seems to walk on my chest.”

The last song “Shiver” doesn’t eclipse the first track but comes close. I enjoyed the almost spaghetti western vibe the song establishes. The vocalist sounds great with some melancholy on his voice. As the song comes to a close the band reaches for their most grandiose climax with a harmonica, blazing guitar, bass and a good amount of drum fills which ends up fading out.

The band still seems to be experimenting with different styles while attempting to find their own sound. They fall into a category of wait and see at this point as the EP isn’t cohesive enough to give you a clear idea of what they are going for. The band will want to up the ante on the recording quality next time around but all things considered this is a promising if questionable batch of songs.

Become A Fan

Tweet