By Matt Jarrard
Menomena‘s 3rd album, Friend and Foe, was nominated for a Grammy. Seriously! Ok, so it was the “Best Recording Package” category, but it’s still cool none the less. I was turned onto their music when saw their neato looking album art and thought, “hey, this looks like something out of a Daniel Johnston nightmare…I bet I’ll like it!” And sure enough, I loved it!
Friend and Foe has a serious dance/sing-a-bility about it. They incorporate tons of saxophone, rich multi-part harmonies, with a songwriting-in-the-round process focusing around a digital looping recording. Menomena manages to groove without sounding “jammy”, thanks to their indie sensibility 
and experimental leanings. Lyrics like…
Well it’s high time we step outside
Drop the gloves and settle this like a man
Well we might stall and hem and haw
We might not fight but we won’t walk away
…dig in, and are written with the intention of being shouted…I dare you to try to listen to album opener Muscle N’ Flow or the above quoted Rotten Hell in your car, and not drum the shit out of your steering wheel.
From the sound of Five Little Rooms off their upcoming album, Mines…they’re still headed in the right direction.
They’ll be at the Variety Playhouse October 8th. Mines is out on Barsuk July 27th.
