Monsters of Folk

Supergroups always sound better on paper than they do on records. Does anyone think either of the Travelling Wilbury's records are better than any George Harrison or Bob Dylan or Tom Petty record? Probably, but their opinion is incorrect.

That said, I love the new record by Monsters of Folk. That's probably obvious, given how often i talk about, listen to, and sing songs by the constituent bands populated by Conor Oberst, Jim James, Mike Mogis and M. Ward. But I tried to not like this album - I even told myself I hated the first four songs that I heard when they posted them on their Myspace page. Each one just sounded like a song that was written by whoever was singing (often the problem with side projects), and I wasn't hearing anything remarkable in their collaboration.

Months later, I saw them play a show at the United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights. It was a very cool evening - the upper level of the balcony was almost deserted, and no one seemed to know what to expect. They played for almost 3 hours, covering every song on their album, trading vocals and instruments, and also taking turns playing music from each of their primary groups albums.

I don't think you need to see them live to appreciate them, in fact, I think this album would be a great primer for people who don't particularly like Bright Eyes or My Morning Jacket or She and Him (or M. Ward's solo albums, or Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, or Yim Yames' solo tribute to George Harrison). These guys are prolific songwriters, constantly honing their craft, and paying homage to their forebears. So what if each of them has such a recognizable style that you can tell, even without listening to the singing, which of the songs on the record they wrote? Have you ever heard a Bob Dylan song you didn't know was Dylan immediately?

Just listen to Ahead of the Curve (an Oberst song). Yes, that's M. Ward on the bass; yes, that's a Jim James signature ringing guitar line, yes that's Mike Mogis making you cry with the lap steel. Still, it's Conor's song, and he's still travelling, looking for a place to call his home, a life he can be comfortable with. Maybe it's about being from a (relatively) small mid-western town and making the best of what you have wherever life leads you. Can anyone think of why I might identify with a song like that?

Or try the M. Ward song Whole lotta losin'. Its a 3 min burst of rockabilly bliss (Ward's specialty), a romantic vision of a young man's life, down on his luck, trying to pick up the pieces, realizing how much of life has passed by already. The vocal harmonies suggest that they've all lived this life, but the guitar licks tell another story: they've moved on, found another path. They're not letting their friends and heroes pack up and move away anymore - they're playing in a band with them.

Its one of the many moments on the album when you realize how much these guys mean to each other. They've grown up playing music together, trying to make it on their own. While each of their primary groups will probably continue to and rightfully should occupy the bulk of their time and their songs, let's hope that the Monster's of Folk reconvene every now and then to re-inject their fans with some much-needed warmth and affection.