E.P Review: Mondo Trasho - Pure Trash
Mondo Trasho - Pure Trash
By now, it's entirely possible that we could of all re-written the lyrics to Ian Dury's sardonic classic 'Reasons to be Cheerful' over and over again - and that's just since the turn of the year. Uncertainty has entered into our lives again just as it looked like the corner had been turned without the need to look back, new variants of Covid threaten to de-rail the full scale opening of UK P.L.C once again.
For music of course, this continued alternative version of 'Groundhog Day' could completely ruin the entire summer. Festivals are dropping one by one again, despite the successful pilot events in Liverpool, with the lack of tangible Insurance policies making it increasingly impossible for the independents to have a safety net to fall back on; indoor live venues watch on with baited breath.
Thankfully, new music keeps coming out, whether or not it can be played live without social distancing. Mondo Trasho have been a band I've kept my eye on for some time - indeed I was going to review their last E.P in March, but I had some kind of Lockdown/Birthday wobble and had to have a break from writing. So now they're back with their new 'Pure Trash' E.P, it felt only fair to give it the time it deserves.
The third E.P by the band this year, 'Pure Trash' follows on from January's 'That's Trash' and March's 'More Trash' - two blistering introductions to Mondo Trasho that showcased their range of influences brilliantly. The band promise that this E.P has the most hip shaking tracks and has more of a party vibe than their first two efforts, but are they true to their word? Only one way to find out.
Opener 'Gotta Hold On Me' certainly gets the hips swivelling - whether you like it or not. The riff has a instant air of classic 60s psych about it; almost as if The Zombies and Love have re-worked the opening to '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone'. The vocals boom out of the track and remind me of those other Liverpool luminaries The Zutons, it's pure R&B joy - the original meaning of the phrase (I'm not going to patronise you by suggesting you don't know, but we're not talking Usher here).
There's a shift to a darker sound on 'Wolves at The Door' with what sounds like a Hammond Organ dominating the mix (I'm no Organ expert..). It has a sense of creepiness about it akin to The Specials 'Ghosttown'. The press release suggests that it has a Roy Orbison influence to it and that comes across in the romantic theme of the song, but not so much in it's sound. It has the same roots and lineage as those early singles by The Horrors - 60s Freakbeat and Garage with Punk/early Goth sensibilities.
If you're going to finish your E.P with a track called 'Tear It Up', you'd better make sure that IT is well and truly TORN to miniscule pieces. At just under two minutes, the E.P closer comes out the blocks with a false start; a Dick Dale style surf twang, before coming at you at full pelt. It's a surf-punk monster with echoes of The Cramps about it - with added Organ. It practically picks you up and throws you around the dance floor - I feel suitably torn a new one.
'Pure Trash' shows a band well versed in the finer nuances of Rock n' Roll's past, whilst trying to forge their own place amongst it's cramped dwellings. With evidence like this at their disposal, it's only a matter of time. Fingers crossed, Mondo Trasho will go back to tearing up live shows soon.
As ever, we recommend you buy 'Pure Trash' via the band's Bandcamp
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