Mark Monnone is alone but not lonely on his debut as a solo artist, Together At Last. This is because Gus Franklin (Architecture in Helsinki, The Smallgoods) is on hand to apply his multi-instrumentalist skills and produce the album alongside The Ladybug Transistor’s Gary Olson, while backing vocals come courtesy of pals such as Ryan McPhun (Ruby Suns) and Kyle Forrester (Crystal Stilts).
The first few tracks recall, understandably, Monnone’s former band The Lucksmiths, and tell tales of being unable to commit (or return library books) while being wooed by pink earrings. Like the music of his former band, the stories are set on a fluffy cloud of blossoming love, but with a lingering melancholy and laced with self-effacing humour.
As the album develops, it forms its own personality, offers more variety and doesn’t stop having fun. It’s hard not to smile through the balmy Tangerine and the Bear and the Conchords-style humour of The Business World, while melodic highs are hit on breezy sunbursts of songs like Echoing Days and Sunset Video Project. The high standard is kept up at the end of the album, with a wistful duet with The Harpoons’ Bec Rigby and a lovely little closing ballad that finally breaks free of the three-minute pop-song mould. Who needs T-shirt weather with an album this packed with summery pop gems?
BY CHRIS GIRDLER
Best Track: Echoing Days
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Here Come The Cars DAVID KILGOUR, Where Were We? THE LUCKSMITHS
In A Word: Self-hug
