Lochness Monster

There comes a time in the lifespan of an artist or band when they begin to assess their sound to find out what it is that makes them who they are. To figure out what “works”, what turns on their particular audience. What is their brand? It's an important step of self-discovery. However, you can tell when a band has gone too far down this rabbit hole and is now creating based on this narrow-minded idea of what they think their sound is. It usually feels stifled. You end up getting an album of mediocre tracks that all sound vaguely similar. By contrast, if a band is open to new possibilities and just writes what comes out without trying too hard to pigeonhole it into their sonic aesthetic, you get a compelling album with depth. The band's signature sound will come through even though they're genre-bending and hopping all over the map.

The latest EP from South Florida alternative outfit Lochness Monster is a demonstration of the latter. With only four tracks, the band is able to pursue a multitude of different sonic avenues all while keeping their emotionally taut, viscerally energetic feel throughout. Working For a Future was given room to breathe, expand, and morph thanks to the prolonged holding pattern of living under the thumb of a pandemic. The result is a record that at times bounces with a pop-punk energy and is at other times propelled by the dogged drive of brooding progressive hard rock. Throughout, the band runs like a well-oiled machine, executing each style with vigour and confidence.

'Glass Jar' opens the album with a Pixies-like riff shook loose by a heavy, intoxicated swing. Singer Bruce Donaldson's vocal delivery is theatrical bordering on a glam sound. Guitarist Justin Shaner's verses lay into the axe with a stubborn persistence while the rhythm section Carradini and Rivera sway to a seasick sailor's cadence. This track feels strongly influenced by the first album of masters of ruminating alternative hard rock A Perfect Circle.

'Running Away' shimmers with fingerpicked movement. The bass and drums find a nicely pocketed groove. The guitars swell and retreat as Donaldson employs some gorgeous vocal harmonies. The galloping bridge builds to a four-on-the-floor climax, quite literally scoring running away from a bad relationship. Changing gears, 'Atlas' has the most pop-punk energy with the bounding energy of catchy hits by Fall Out Boy or Jimmy Eat World. Even with this change in genre, the texture and vibe have a clear through-line keeping it quintessentially Lochness Monster. The finale is a reimagining of fan-favourite 'Pendulum' from 2017's Fables record. The new version features more expressive vocals from Donaldson and a brighter punchier mix to make the track come alive.

Working For a Future shows a tightly-knit group of musicians embracing a variety of scenes that have bloomed out of the alternative scene in the past 20 years. The songs are melancholic, emotionally arresting, and honest. The musicians find a way to orchestrate the album so that it always feels like it's evolving while also feeling familiar. They are giving proof that alternative music is not just splitting off into factions until each subgenre is a mere sliver. Lochness Monster are successfully bridging gaps while honing their signature sound.