Since I've been doing this PhD, instrumental music has really come into it's own. It used to be that the only post-rock bands in my collection were Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai, but since I discovered how nice it is to work whilst listening to epic, soaring music I've found so many more bands I love. Mono are certainly one of them, and this record is great.
I'm pretty sure that they were the first band I ever saw at All Tomorrow's Parties, playing the EITS festival a few years back. They were certainly the first band I saw in the upstairs room at Minehead. I was very impressed, but somehow forgot to actually buy any of their records until a few years later. When this album was released there was a free download of Ashes in the Snow floating around that I downloaded and played to death. I've always been a sucker for classical instruments and rock music together (this might have something to do with Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve being a huge part of my life).
When I was in San Francisco a few months later I found the triple vinyl in Amoeba Records. I'd been wanting to buy it since the record came out but it was crazy expensive with postage from the states, so I jumped at the chance to get it then. It worked out to about £19, which is still a lot, but it's a pretty lovely package: limited to 3,000 copies, triple gatefold vinyl with individual picture sleeves and a DVD of the entire show. Musically, it's lovely. The orchestra adds so much warmth to the songs, and so much power to the whole thing. The DVD is a great watch too, seeing this rock band sat in front of a huge orchestra (also means I get to enjoy it without getting up to change the record five times). The whole thing is worth a listen, but Ashes in the Snow and Pure as Snow are certainly highlights and the outro to Everlasting Light is jaw-dropping.
I had tickets to see Mono playing with an orchestra in Koko last year, but I couldn't go in the end. Some friends and I were planning a fairly large trip around south-east Asia and the only time we could all make it involved me giving up my tickets to see Mono and Low. I was a bit gutted (especially since chances to see a performance as awesome as this record don't come around that often) but I'm very glad I went. I got to finally see Low at the Jeff Mangum ATP earlier in the year, and Mono are playing Shellac's one in December, admittedly not with an orchestra, but it should be good regardless.
Format: Triple 12", gatefold, picture sleeves, DVD
Tracks: 10
Cost: £19 new
Bought: Amoeba, San Francisco
When: 07/09/10
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: no
