Moneen

Moneen: The Red TreeThe Red Tree (2006)
Vagrant Records

Reviewer Rating: 4.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: MarkRowanMarkRowan
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on April 11th 2006April 11th marks a big day for new releases, and Moneen manages to stand out of the crowd, even against a well-established name like their labelmates in Saves the Day. I'm not saying that The Red Tree is better than Saves the Day's new release, but it certainly gives it a run for its money. I'm n.

April 11th marks a big day for new releases, and Moneen manages to stand out of the crowd, even against a well-established name like their labelmates in Saves the Day. I'm not saying that The Red Tree is better than Saves the Day's new release, but it certainly gives it a run for its money.

I'm not even a long-time fan of Moneen, and I didn't think their last effort, Are We Really Happy With Who We Are Right Now? to be that much better than average, but this album cannot be ignored. As silly as this sounds, I'd recommend it to fans of high-energy bands, something along the lines of early Early November or Gatsbys American Dream. What I do remember when I saw this band live a while ago was that they brought energy to their live performance; that same energy can be felt during The Red Tree.

Believe it or not, it's not the energy that's so appealing about this album. It's the band's ability to take that energy and apply it to slower songs. Prominent tracks like "The Day No One Needed to Know" beam with raw emotion, and is completely stripped down to the naked vocals, and then all comes back together to deliver a remarkable song. Another notable track that is much more defining of Moneen is "The Frightening Reality of the Fact That We Will All Have to Grow Up and Settle Down One Day." Not only defining because of its unusually long title that Moneen has been known for, but it's really a song that first-time listeners can hear and understand what Moneen and the rest of this album is all about.

What has been bothering me a lot about some recent albums I've reviewed was the flow of the album. Albums are not supposed to be just a collection of songs, they are supposed to flow as if they were written in the same day right after each other. Moneen does this without fault. Through and through, this album is cohesive and I never feel that a track doesn't belong. The album slows down towards the end, but it's as if Moneen is lulling the listener to sleep or even saying goodbye; it fits. Especially the instrumentation on the last track, "The Song I Swore to Never Sing," it's so stirring. The listener knows this is the last song on the track; they don't need to look at the listing. It even makes you feel bad that this album has to come to an end, but at the same time glad that you can now replay it all again.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Nap (March 25, 2008)

Awesome album!!!

blake88 (July 6, 2006)

This is Brampton representing at their best. Finally people who aren't shooting hockey pucks or a Kid in the Hall. Shameless .moneen. badgering *first baptist* *mayfield ss*

TREOS (June 8, 2006)

Shit i forgot to give this a 10 in my last post

TREOS (June 8, 2006)

So...i just signed up for this punknews website and i went to check out all my favourite cd's to see what people say and comment. All the other cds got mixed reviews but man, just abnout everybody here says that this cd is the SHIT!! and Fuck their right. I agree when some people say that "Are we realy happy with who we are right nhow?" was a little bland but this baby makes up for it and more. It's incredible to see how much they've matured and anyone who says this cd is just to get a piece of the Alexisonfire pie is a dick. Just read the inside cover. They tell you right away that they wanted this cd to be fucking perfect and it so totally is. I love to see that there are people listening to other great music. Im totally happy that peolp are so supportive of canadian music eg. Alexisonfire(although how can't you be supportive of these guys) and the guy who said this replaces kezia in his cd player...Fuckin right i love Protest TOo!!

Anonymous (May 6, 2006)

Fantastic Album. Completely took me by surprise.

Anonymous (May 4, 2006)

I've always been kind of a casual Moneen listener. I liked a good amount of their music but I never went apeshit over it. But I bought this album on a whim and it fucking blew me away. Nice job guys.

Anonymous (April 26, 2006)

what a fucking masterpiece.

tristan (April 23, 2006)

don't know if anyone else feels this way, since nobody's said it yet, but this record is downright... empowering. it's a beautiful thing when good bands turn great. congrats, boys. you've outdone yourselves.

Anonymous (April 17, 2006)

Man i dont get you guys...ive always liked moneen...but when i heard the preview tracks of this i thought they were kind of cheesy, but because of the review and comments i bought the cd anyways.....the first for songs are goo, not great and the rest are meh.......i talked to kenny at the std tour for well over 30 minutes and he was the coolest guy but i did get the vibe they wanted to get bigger which is fine...but the music is just lacking...

onegirlarmy (April 16, 2006)

Though I do get bored with it towards the end (except for the last track, which is amazing), I love this record. The first few songs (esp the first 4) are incredible. The ones in the middle are kinda eh and still maybe need to grow on me, but I'm highly impressed considering I didn't really like "Are We Really Happy..." (and I loved The Theory Of Harmonial Value). I think this is a great step forward for Moneen and I can't wait to sing along to these the next time I see them.

Moneen also has been extremely energetic and always impressed me every time I've seen them too, but no band can be consistantly good live. They could have an off night.

HeresLookinAtYou (April 14, 2006)

This is insanely good.

Anonymous (April 14, 2006)

this album is $5.99 at the best buy here in Cambridge. can't wait to give it a listen tonight

blade-runner (April 13, 2006)

The best album released in 2006 thus far is "Everything All The Time" by Band Of Horses. The New Calexico and Built To Spill are great too.

Is this the same band that sung the song with the lyrics "Screw You And Die I Hope You Burn"?

If so, they are bad, bad, bad.

Anonymous (April 13, 2006)

"alexisonfire knda corrupted these guys, seeing as how they went for all these thick sounding chords and shit, trying to come off all nu-screamo."

i don't know if we are listening to the same record or not, but i don't hear any nu-screamo shit on here. this sounds like classic moneen to me. their best to date by far....

Anonymous (April 13, 2006)

i was disappointed with "are we really happy.." and had always been a bigger fan of "the theory of harmonial value", but i'm gonna have to agree with the lot of you and say this is their best yet.

Anonymous (April 13, 2006)

this album is the best moneen to date.. and one of the best this year....

Anonymous (April 13, 2006)

alexisonfire knda corrupted these guys, seeing as how they went for all these thick sounding chords and shit, trying to come off all nu-screamo.

in the end, this isn't anywhere as good as "are we really happy.." but it's a fun album to sing along to. its nice to hear something refreshing in the stale world of emopop.

Anonymous (April 13, 2006)

i bought this, the saves the day record and i got a promo of the new grandaddy. strangely out of the 3 i'm listening to the grandaddy the most. the moneen record seems bland to me for some reason.

benz (April 13, 2006)

i love how they do a little reprise of the last song from their previous albums on the first track of their new albums. it's cute, but it works for moneen.

-benz

Scruffy (April 13, 2006)

"Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do."

If that is a song title, I may have to buy this.

Anonymous (April 12, 2006)

"Best album of 2006 thus far.

-Scott

I like Sound The Alarm better, but I see where you're coming from. I've seen these guys live three times, and they always impress. However, I actually want to buy this album, which I will when I see their tour with STD/Circa again in NH.

logan (April 12, 2006)

kirby... moneen can be really good or not so good live. but in most of my experiences they've been amazing live. (especially them opening for jimmy eat world before bleed american came out at the opera house).

ANYWHO. i'm so proud of these guys. they've accomplished so much, way more than i ever expected. but this album is a reflection of all the time, sweat and hard work they've put into being apart of this band. their writing just keeps getting better, and it seems like they're trying to write maybe 'shorter' songs (by moneen standards) to maybe expand their fanbase a bit more. the songs are still fucking solid as ever of course, i just think they see how well alexisonfire is doing (in canada) and im sure they want a piece of that action. enough of my rambling... i'm so happy for these dudes, this album is the tits. i hope vagrant fully supports this record and it gets the attention it truly deserves.

Anonymous (April 12, 2006)

I've had this album since the 3rd and I have put well over 35 hours of listening into it...it is through and through solid. I loved it the first time I played it through, I love it more. I just have it on repeat. I wake up to it in the morning and fall asleep to it at night. Anyone who knows the band or anything they stand for would ever call this a "Hot Topic crowd" album...they did not write this to become famous, and I believe that is evident based on the heart and soul poured into every single track...Hands down their best release to date...best album in a while. It has replaced Kezia in my CD player.

Donny

maverick (April 12, 2006)

Best album of 2006 thus far.

-Scott

SilentStorms (April 12, 2006)

Agreed, as in no thanks. I dont' think they've put out anything as consistent as the Smaller Chairs Ep. But hey, that's just me.

Anonymous (April 12, 2006)

I don't want to destroy this album but I personnaly don't think it's better than their early work.. I'm the only one who's not impressed?

Anonymous (April 12, 2006)

This album is definetly the best album of the year so far. Blows the Saves The Day record out of the water.....

benz (April 12, 2006)

well i guess you're not one of the biggest moneen fans anymore.

Anonymous (April 12, 2006)

ummm. i am one of the biggest moneen fans and i know i had to listen to "are we really happy".... a couple of times before i liked it but after the first listen through i am not that impressed with the red tree. its very soft and mellow.. the remake of bleed and blister is the best song on the album and i already heard it before.

Anonymous (April 12, 2006)

Score is for calling a song "Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do."

benz (April 11, 2006)

I have this coming in the mail. Love their previous stuff. And based on the iTunes previews, this is going to be just as good. I don't care if "epic" is the buzzword these days, this is epic pop punk. And it is awesome.

-benz

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

Good album.

SilentStorms (April 11, 2006)

No thanks, but thanks!

Dave Old Man Gloom Norman

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

I am a long time Moneen fan (dating back to the debut ep "small Chairs" and I have to say this is their finest album to date. They seem really focused on the songs as indiviual songs. Not going off on tangents as they have in the past (which is what I loved about Moneen in the first place.)This album has not left my cd player in three days. I pre-ordered it a month ago and was waiting anxiously, like a kid waits for Christmas. Kenny's vocals are pure genius Hippies harmonies are beautiful and he even has a lead vocal song on track nine. All in all this album owns anything Vagrant has put out. It sucked that I had to see Moneen with Saves the Day because I hate STD, and Moneen is way better than them and they only played six songs. This albus does not get old. I strongly urge anyone to go buy this album because you will not be dissapointed.

tylerdurden8136 (April 11, 2006)

this is way better than i thought it would be...i've only listened to it twice, but i'm impressed. i have a feeling it'll grow on me.

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

best buy has this for 5.99, at least the one in janesville wi does

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

wow, i really like this album, amazing lyrics, one of the best this year by far...

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

yeah, this album is leaps and bounds above anything theyve done... im listening to it right now... "The Frightening Reality Of The Fact That We Will All Have To Grow Up And Settle Down Some Day" is an absolutely amazing song

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

Moneen REALLY got my attention with "Passing of America", and when they came out "Are We Really Happy...", I was just blown away. Their sound is really unique, and when I saw them live in chicago, they were even better, which leads me to say-Hey KirbyPuckett, I don't know what the hell you are talking about, they are unbelievable live, you must of been watching the spill canvas or something. As much as I love the band, I honestly think they couldn't do it again with "The Red Tree"...Oh man was I wrong. I URGE EVERYONE READING THIS TO GO BY THE RED TREE NOW BECAUSE IT IS EASILY ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF THE YEAR!!!

KirbyPuckett (April 11, 2006)

I really enjoy these guys on disc, but their energy (even though they try hard) doesn't come off well live.

I saw them open for Saves the Day and I was just bored.

- Kirby

danperrone (April 11, 2006)

the red tree is the new power plant

cherrycolarain (April 11, 2006)

How does this album "appeal to the Hot Topic crowd."?
It's far superior to anything "emo" even stands for now a days.
The album is emotional, but not Hot Topic emo. Without emotion, every single song ever heard would be lifeless.

In other news: I didn't have my expectations to high for this. I'm a big Moneen fan, and I thought there was no way in hell they could out-do "Are We Really Happy...".
What puts the smile on my face is that: They did.

Amazing album.

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

So you're saying this is a half-star better than Hit the Lights???

-Chinatown

Josiah (April 11, 2006)

favourite album of the year thus far...

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

man the songs i heard were really cheesy sounding...like newer dashboard mixed with hot rod circuit...i liked their previous stuff... i guess ill check it out again

darkstarm (April 11, 2006)

Heard some of this and it sounds exactly like their last album except better. Which is fine by me. This is a great band, and even better live.

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

Energy! Energy! Energy!
Seriously though, Moneen rock!
Energy!

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

I listened to the stream yesterday and I am for sure going to pick this up. I fucking love it.

FortyMinutesWesterberg (April 11, 2006)

energycore

TheMarc (April 11, 2006)

You forgot to call it "epic". Isn't that the new buzz word?

Seriously though, this is an album that far exceeded my expectations. Great stuff!

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

fag

ghostmonkey (April 11, 2006)

can we please mention the word "energy" some more? i dont think i got how much there was.

DarrenMcLeod (April 11, 2006)

this is a great release, hopefully this gets the band the attention they've always deserved.

swingline (April 11, 2006)

absolutepunk.netcore

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

I don't really like emo music, but this is damn good

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

Album is amazing. Hard to think there will be a better album released anytime soon.

Great live too!

Anonymous (April 11, 2006)

This is about as generic and boring as you can get, Perfectly and contritely written to appeal to the Hot Topic crowd.

I fell asleep while listening to this

InaGreendase (April 11, 2006)

This album is so good. SO good. Super energetic, retaining this atmospheric feel throughout with the little explosions of noise and guitars. A little top-heavy (I'd give it like an 8.4), but my favorite album this year so far.