Style: Indie rock; compare to TV on the Radio, Spoon, and Anathallo
Top tracks: “TAOS,” “Tithe,” “BOTE”
One of the most instrumentally creative indie bands today, Menomena combines its experimental, avant-garde aspirations with polyrhythmic melody structures to create a unique style that evades categorization. On this, their fourth full-length album, tenor saxophone, pipe organ, kazoo, glockenspiel, and a variety of other sounds accompany the standard drum, bass, and electric guitar. Three men play all of these instruments, while also taking turns on lead vocals from track to track—all woven around deep lyrics that cry of disgust for religious hypocrisy: “Oh my god, bring me peace from this wolf covered in fleece / I can’t shake loose from its teeth.”
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