www.monstersarewaiting.com
www.myspace.com/monstersarewaiting

I snagged Fascination, the debut album by Monsters Are Waiting, off the shelves of Performer Mag before heading down to Ventura with my folks. I honestly can’t imagine the trip without the album, as it sort of set itself as the soundtrack for everything I did (endless boring days require some sort of emotive indie score).

Fascination instantly draws the listener in with strong pop hooks and catchy beats when most other albums might require a short period of familiarity breeding. Lead singer Annalee’s vocal delivery, at once both innocent and spastic, creates a playful tone that really adds personality to the overall mix. The album’s saturated sound serves well as a narcotic for the otherwise sleepless mind, as nights spent in Ventura involved healthy doses of ceiling-staring in bed.

Upbeat songs like “HA HA” and “Monsters” contrast nicely with darker, more introspective tracks like “Nobody” and the hauntingly marching, “Time.” I often play the latter in my head while walking down the street: “Time is drifting away / It’s not too subtle / Just a little they say…” (I’m dramatic.)

Fascination easily rises as one of my favorite albums – amazingly diverse and entertaining. Ventura, not so much…