DIVE from San Diego-based band almost monday (think poet e.e. cummings and his deliberate choice to not capitalize anything) will appeal to those who want their 1980s-1990s California Beach Boys sound on steroids.
Similar to recent indie artists like Beach Bunny and Surf Curse, the trio relies heavily on an upbeat rhythm of instruments ranging from drums to guitar (Luke Fabry) to bass riffs (Cole Clisby). At the same time, lead singer Dawson Daugherty tends to vocalize with a Prince or Michael Jackson or Kevin Jonas sound.
Of the 11-track album, almost monday’s first after a string of EPs – 2020’s Don’t Say You’re Ordinary and 2021’s Til the End of Time – and singles, “jupiter” (the seventh song) blasts off as the longest at three minutes and two seconds and stands out as the catchiest tune.
The song gives off a classic house music sound with drums hitting on every beat. As the the melody progresses, it incorporates subtle bass riffs to hint at a feeling of mystery, perhaps the feeling of taking off into outer space into “jupiter.” The catchy chorus, “Oooh, la-la-la-la-la,” further heightens the surreal atmosphere as it synchronizes with the drum beats to create a resonating sound.
The band has also produced a music video of “jupiter,” which effectively engages viewers with outlandish scenes like almost monday dressed in formal attire in a desert, a trampoline used to blast the lead singer into what supposedly looks like the fifth planet from the sun. Such images remind ‘80s fans of music videos from bold bands like Devo and Oingo Boingo.
VIDEO CUTLINE: The American indie rock/pop trio, almost monday, shows off its outlandish scenes and set pieces in the “jupiter” music video, released Thursday, Sept. 26. The song is the seventh track on the San Diego-based band’s debut album and has the longest run time. (Video used with permission from gomoxie.org)
Although the word “love” only appears once as “loving every second with you” in “jupiter’s” lyrics, the song writer successfully hints at the notion of falling for someone with other lines like, “Yeah, I know, yeah, I know, it’s written on your face / Gettin’ lost, forgettin’ time and space” and “I know we got that cosmic vision / Like a rocket ship, we’re passing through.”
Another track featured as a music video is the sixth one, “can’t slow down,” the second longest song in the album at two minutes and 55 seconds. In terms of the song itself, it parallels “jupiter’s” use of instruments with lively staccato beats and a hint of electric guitar to create a summer vibe.
Its opening stanza reminds listeners of “jupiter” with its celestial allusions: “Let’s just pretend this night won’t end / The lights are flashing like the beat of your heart / I see a world in outer space / We spiral up and now we’re standing on the stars.”
It continues with another figurative expression of the beloved “riding on a burning light” to the moon. These hyperboles harkening to the various aspects of the universe help listeners to understand the song writer’s point that sometimes in relationships, one person wants to progress faster than the other.
We see this in the last line of the second stanza, “I don’t know if I’m gonna keep up.”
Furthermore, the music video for “can’t slow down” draws inspiration once again from Devo’s (think “Whip It”) as it utilizes the same cinematography elements. From wearing outfits that clash with the band’s surroundings to including uncanny elements like an egg and a bald eagle, the clip captivates viewers with its variety of actions and frequent frame transitions.
Almost monday’s first album, which debuted on Wednesday, Sept. 25, contains two songs that have been released as singles before. Typically, artists include their previous music in new albums in hopes of reaching a wider audience. The first one, “life goes by” with a length of two minutes and 33 seconds, has nearly reached 5 million plays on Spotify. On a bigger scale, “sunburn” (classic example of Beach Boys on steroids with references to “California,” “heat waves” and “warmer weather”) at two minutes and 53 seconds, peaks at 34 million plays on Spotify. It also features a music video worth checking out.
Both reach a wider audience, yet their inclusion in the album goes beyond this purpose, as their lyrics follow through the album’s take on love and how to deal with its challenges.
For those new to almost monday’s music, many might be wondering how the trio got its name. According to an interview posted in Melodic Magazine, the band said, “We needed a band name so we landed on calling ourselves ‘The Mondays’ from a friend’s suggestion, but then we shortly realized that it was already taken and changed it to ‘almost monday.’”
The group’s bold approach to its indie sound stands on its own as a hidden gem. For listeners yet to experience a modern spin on pop/rock, now is the perfect time to take a dive into this niche genre.
