Leaning into the fall

Managed by the guru behind the rise of Suede, and with a safe pair of hands on the mixing desk in the form of Muse and Foo Fighters producer, Rich Costey, the self-recorded and self-produced, self-titled debut album from Nashville’s Mona finally hits the streets this week.

Having been tipped as ones to watch since last autumn, the Tennessee tyros first platter arrives with eleven tracks that drip with attitude and expectation.

The immense weight that comes from the NME, MTV and BBC voting you as ones to watch in 2011 hangs in the background, but you sense that there is something in the mix that might just see Mona rise above the hype and deliver something more than many of the hotly-tipped acts of recent years have been able to.

The album does not hang about in making its point – clocking in at a brisk 35 minutes – that this is a band packed with an infectious energy and the tunes to drive it home.

Lead tracks like Listen To Your Love and Trouble On The Way show their straightforward rock leanings, but Lines In The Sand demonstrate that Mona already know their way around an anthem.

As with all good debuts, the question is, where do they go from here? They have a fine formula that does not need  tinkering, their power pop/alt rock shapes will have an immediate audience, and their support slot at Slane next weekend will give them a shot at a wider base than their recent gig at Whelan’s allowed.

Comparisons will endure with Kings of Leon – the Followills also being from Mona’s home state of Tennesee. There is a certain similarity, but they have more in common with Rocket From The Crypt – propulsive rock delivered with a snarl and hearts-on-sleeves, and looking like they are the coolest gang in town.

Given the space and time to develop their obvious strengths, and there’s every chance that they will achieve their intention of being the purveyors of romantic rock’n’roll for city folk for years to come.

Oh, and here they are/were at Slane…