Money

MONEY are set to release their follow up to debut album ‘The Shadow of Heaven’ on 29 January 2016. ‘Suicide Songs’ sees the Mancunian four-piece continuing to create deep, cavernous, thought-provoking music.

The writing and realisation of this album hasn’t been without its challenges as the lyrics and titles would suggest. The band venture into territories new on ‘Suicide Songs’, as evidenced in the rather loftily-entitled opening track ‘I Am The Lord’. The dilruba (an Indian stringed instrument) works perfectly with frontman Jamie Lee’s vocal and prompts comparisons to bands who have used this instrument to excellent affect like Kula Shaker, but the comparison ends there. MONEY are an introspective, intense band that manage to add an airiness to themes of desperation and sadness. You need only look to the album artwork to get a sense of the thin edge on which they balance. Describing the development of the record, Lee reflects, “I wanted the album to sound like it was ‘coming from death.’”

There are a number of very long tracks on this album, MONEY are not shy of creating epic, sprawling pieces such as ‘All my Life’ at 6.28 you need to invest time in this band.

‘I’m Not Here’ climaxes with a strained, pain-laced vocal which could well be described as a cry for help. The not-so-festively-entitled ‘A Cocaine Christmas and an Alcoholic’s New Year’ beautifully juxtaposes the familiar tones of a Christmas brass band with an aching vocal and stark lyrics.

MONEY are one of those bands who should certainly be bigger than they are. This record may just tip the scales and see them breakthrough in 2016 as their label-mates Fleet Foxes have managed to do. Indeed both bands share individually unique abilities to tell stories and MONEY’s stories should be heard.