Welcome to the Monkey House

by

The Dandy Warhols

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If you are a fan of Britpop-sounding guitar bands (Radiohead, Blur, Suede, Stone Roses) then this American band is worth a listen for sure.

While more popular overseas than in their own country (perhaps from the use of so many of their songs in TV commercials), the Dandys do have a strong and loyal following stateside, and this particular album certainly has expanded their audience base. Perhaps the recent inclusion of "We Used To Be Friends" in an episode of Fox's new hit series "The OC" will continue to draw even more fans.

Welcome To The Monkey House is an experimental album, much like the last few Radiohead albums have been. The band's guitar riffs have become somewhat subdued, taking a back seat to the ever present electronic sounds courtesy in part to Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes, who produced the album. While some diehard fans frowned upon the band's direction with this album, it is a brilliant album spawning three equally great singles, "We Used To be Friends," "The Last High" and "Plan A"

After the short and mellow title track intro, "We Used To Be Friends" launches the album into an electronic groove guaranteed to leave you up for several nights trying to get the infectious "ah aha a ha... ah aha a ha..." or the high ranged "Come on now honey, bring it on, bring it on yeah...." out of your heads. Complete with the fabulous Daniel Ash-like vocal delivery by Courtney Taylor-Taylor, this is indeed a stand out track.

"Plan A" slows things down somewhat with a bit more guitar and Taylor-Taylor's wonderful falsetto "Oh there must be some kind of planet...." swirling throughout the song. A brilliant soundscape and one of my favorites on the CD.

"Wonderful You" complete with its pulsating electronic beats and syncopated breaths, sounds like an early 80's club song reinvented and "Scientist" sounds like an electronic aural assault against Oingo Boingo's "Weird Science." It is very good and could have easily made single number 4. Out of all of the songs, this is the most synthesized track on the album.

"The Last High" is a fantastic tongue and cheek ballad lamenting a failed relationship. Clearly, the lyrics suggest that the person is trying to show that he's so much better off now with great lyrics like "I am alone, but adored, by a 100,000 more, than I said when you were the last... and I have known love, ..., by at least 10,000 more, than I swore, when you were the last..." Yet, by the time the chorus arrives, the tone becomes a bit more moody. Eventually, you realise things are not fine, and he's sadly waiting by the phone. "Maybe you love me, and maybe you don't... maybe you'll call me, maybe you won't... oh" and that last "oh" sounds so disappointed that it just adds that final touch to a perfectly executed song.

The rest of the album is just as fabulous, and from start to finish a stellar CD for sure. Intelligent and humourous lyrics, avant garde instrumentation (for the Dandys anyway) with no loss in song quality, and Courtney Taylor-Taylor's crooning lower register vocals complimenting his unstrained falsetto, makes this such a refreshing album. Nothing else sounds like this, and music has been so boring lately. The Dandy Warhols just come in and throw convention out of the window and it couldn't sound any better.

Seek out the import singles from this album, as they contain some great b-side covers (Blondie, Frankie Goes To Hollywood) and mixes, including a great rework of "Everyday Is A Holiday".

Fans of Daniel Ash / Love and Rockets should really give this a spin, as Taylor-Taylor's lower register should sound a bit familliar.

A must have album, and one of the best for 2003.

Maybe it's too soon for me to be giving my opinion on this release since I've only had it a for a week and listened to it about four times. It's a bit of a departure from 13 Tales, which is what I'd expect from a band w/ such potential. Less guitar and more effects...where I'm having trouble is about half-way through there are a number of slowed down, drawn-out tunes..sort of loses momentum. But this is where maybe I feel I need more time to get used to the disc and what they're going for here. Best tunes are the last track, and 'We Used to be Friends.' Monkey House could be lost Love and Rockets album from the late 80's...