I’ve been so out of touch lately and this album is another perfect example of this. Released last year on the great Kiss Of Death label, Monikers’ debut full-length Wake Up is an album that I really have no idea how I missed when it was initially released. I guess I can just chalk that up to having a crazy little kid running around my house
On Wake Up Monikers (yet another great newish punk band from Florida) play mainly mid-tempo but mostly ultra-catchy three-chord pop-punk that is way more on the poppy (think Screeching Weasel and Parasites) side of things than you might expect considering just how raspy the vocals are. There are obvious Crimpshrine/Jawbreaker/Lawrence Arms/Banner Pilot comparisons to be made here, but hey, if someone else was to name-drop like that, you better believe I’d immediately be heading out to get the record in question.
You might also be interested to find out that Monikers are fronted by none other than former Discount guitar player Ryan Seagrist (no that’s not Ryan Seacrest) so it isn’t surprising that this band also shares some of that band’s poppy and melodic tendencies. The influences and aim of Monikers is pretty obvious and because of this, nothing on Wake Up is surprising. But in some cases (like this one), unsurprising and familiar can be a really good thing.
MP3 | Monikers – Them And Us Monikers
MP3 | Monikers – 80 Proof Wake Up
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the song “papers” kills, with the bridge that samples Lloyd Dobler.