Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
For anybody who has indulged their music whims, the caprice of cerebral cornucopia that flows from the heart of The Mono LPs live set, the cry of where is a C.D. in which to revel alongside at home has been a vexing one. Thankfully, as with all things, time rewards the patient, it offers the chance to get deep down and logically dirty with a band who are one of the major reasons in which to play great quality music in the second decade of the 21st Century.
Die A Little Death (Deluxe) is three tracks from their outstanding repertoire plus the added bonus of two live acoustic numbers captured for all time. The three studio tracks fill the stereo with cunning and guile, they prey on the sullied and the doubters and give the passion of performance that The Mono LP’s are renowned for like an arrow hurtling at full flight through the air, never stopping, never slowing until it hits the elusive bull’s eye. Whether down to Ste Reid’s inflaming lyrics, the music harmony that all three male members bring to the party like a celebrated choir suddenly finding that instruments enhance the overall effect or indeed the craving rage of the cello from Vicky Mutch, a fever of stringed beauty that hangs in the air like a nuclear fuelled hot air balloon waiting to pulsate and glow in the midnight air, who knows for sure and who should actually question. What should be felt is just the musical lust of four members of a quality band ready to bring, if not fire, then at least Scouse storms of the idyllic down on the streets of Liverpool.
The studio tracks included, Die A Little Death, The Flame and 6AM all tow the Mono LPs line of towering lyrics accompanied by the desire to show Rock from Liverpool in the best possible and ideal light, no matter where you are listening to the E.P. from, it blots out the surrounding noise easily but with great care, if an Rhino charged at you, you really wouldn’t care.
The two acoustic numbers may seem a strange addition but it shows just how versatile this band are and Die A Little Death actually holds a more chilling line acoustically, an ache of gleeful elegance, within its framework when heard in this way.
It may have been a long time coming but like all great things, so well worth the wait.
Ian D. Hall