Monument - Goes Canoeing CD

From post-punk, noise-pop, grungy 90′s indie rock and even the Dischord-styled hardcore of Monument's Washington D.C. home, Goes Canoeing is as loose and raw as it is infectious and intricately layered. More strikingly is how the members of quartet have grown by leaps and bounds as songwriters. Not many people can compose music this dynamic and brimming with energy … that always feels like its on the verge of careening off the tracks while simultaneously transmitting as completely unforced and organic. This is a record that you know took a lot hard work and countless hours to make, yet it all sounds like second nature to the band. Perhaps Monument’s most charming, engaging attribute is its ability to craft songs with depth and complexity, as well as a wealth of peculiar chord progressions and unconventional harmonies. On paper, Goes Canoeing doesn’t seem like a record that would drill itself into your brain and stay there for days and days, but songs like “Glass House,” “This Is 113″ and “Diamond Age” are teeming with loads of off-kilter pop moments: contagious sing-along choruses, background whoa-ohs, chunky riffs and a propulsive rhythm section that simply doesn’t quit, to name just a few. You’re as likely to discover a bout of animated hand clapping or an off-the-cuff trumpet solo as you would a wiry, complex guitar line, gruff call-and-response shouting or a swelling instrumental interlude that’s more indicative of the current batch of emo revivalists. Obviously, we love that Monument’s foundation was built by bands like Braid and Cap’n Jazz, but there’s just as much Meneguar or Teenage Cool Kids thrown in the mix as well. More importantly, let’s recognize Goes Canoeing for blazing its own unique path. These are wonderfully skewed, raucous anti-anthems for emo, indie, punk and hardcore kids alike. We thought that Monument would probably dream up with something amazing, but we never expected them to compose a record that would establish a new template for this type of underground DIY music for years to come.