Album Review: "33.3" by Monsonia

33.3 was released on October 19 on Holiday For Quince Records

Monsonia is a three-piece post-punk band out of Raleigh/Chapel Hill that have been making waves in North Carolina's scene for years now with their tight, gritty sound that continues to develop with each album.  "33.3" is Monsonia's latest effort and their first record released on Holiday For Quince Records.  Even with "33.3" being the band's first album as a trio, you can tell the band flows excellently together with bassist/engineer Nick Petersen, drummer Andy Willard, and guitarist/vocalist Carter Browning all producing a sound that seems rough around the edges, yet calculated at the same time.

Monsonia experiments with their sound a bit on this record, while "Age of Machines" opens the record up with the loud and in your face song that you would expect to hear from the post-punk band, however on songs like "Lived in Caves" the band allows each song to flesh out a bit more and it really feels like they've got something great going on with it.  Monsonia knows exactly what they want to give with these songs and the way that each one builds itself up to one focal point really keeps the listener interested in the songs.  Each song sounds crisp on the record with Nick Petersen's engineering shining through on much of the album, the way the drums slice through the guitar and bass really gives the record a raw sound while still keeping the brilliance of how well crafted these songs are.  "This Ain't My First Rodeo" is a standout track that shows off the bands chops a bit more, opening with a much more experimental sound that automatically draws your attention in; not to mention the melodies sung by Carter Browning keep the song, and the record, interesting by never making a melody too predictable.  Carter's vocals are the perfect compliment to the sound that Monsonia produces with their instruments because it contants just as much grit as the rest of the band's elements, providing for an album that perfectly blends the post-punk basis of the band with a bit more experimental and metal aspects.

"Would You Like A Piece of Milk" is a solely instrumental track that experiments with the band's sound the most and really leaves the album with a sense of "where can they go with the next one", a feeling that I always enjoy having at the end of a record.  Monsonia debuted on Holiday For Quince with a bang, and 33.3 has built upon their already strong foundation to prove that Monsonia is a band that you should keep an eye on.