Forgery is an album by the American band Monks of Doom, released in 1992.[2][3] It was the band's first album to be distributed by a major label, and their second after the breakup of the members' former band, Camper Van Beethoven.[4][5] Monks of Doom supported the album with a North American tour.[6]
| Forgery | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Label | I.R.S.[1] | |||
| Producer | Dan Fredman | |||
| Monks of Doom chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editA loose concept album about fabrication and deception, Forgery was produced by Dan Fredman.[7][8][9] "Tanguedia" and its reprise are tributes to the Argentine musician Astor Piazzolla.[9]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Chicago Tribune | [11] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [1] |
| The Press of Atlantic City | [12] |
Trouser Press wrote that "it's a tight and cleanly played record but, as with the Monks' entire oeuvre, the literate songs and sounds come too often from the head and too rarely from the heart."[5] Guitar Player deemed the album "modern psychedelia for the smart drug generation."[13] The Province considered the album's songs to be "projections of a modern, unfussy but subtly complex expression of progressive-rock."[14] The Chicago Tribune concluded that Forgery "is something indulgent and bloodless, with bassist Victor Krummenacher delivering crypto-important metaphors that fail to touch any nerves."[11]
Stereo Review called it "pretentious undergrad rock reminiscent of Camper at its most terminally twee."[15] The Milwaukee Journal praised the album's first track, "Flint Jack", describing it as "a ska beat rumbling in slow motion under some spry, acrobatic guitar sprints."[16] The Philadelphia Daily News declared that "Forgery is one pop product that dares to be art and actually succeeds."[17] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch stated that Monks of Doom have "once again abandoned standard rock decorum to explore new music worlds via thrashing guitar leads, primitive synthesizers and acoustic guitars, and rippling syncopations."[18]
AllMusic wrote that the album combines "the quirky, off-kilter elements of Camper with a more streamlined, straightforward rocking approach."[10]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Flint Jack" | |
| 2. | "Flow" | |
| 3. | "Tanguedia (For Astor Piazzolla)" | |
| 4. | "Virtual Lover" | |
| 5. | "Queen of Fortune" | |
| 6. | "Dust" | |
| 7. | "What Does a Man Require?" | |
| 8. | "A.O.A." | |
| 9. | "Cigarette Man (Cast of Characters)" | |
| 10. | "Off on a Comet" | |
| 11. | "Tanguedia (Reprise)" | |
| 12. | "Chaos is Not Dead" |
Personnel
edit- David Immerglück - guitars, backing vocals, organ, synthesizer, mandolin
- Greg Lisher - guitar, backing vocals, piano
- Victor Krummenacher - bass, lead vocals, organ, piano, guitar
- Chris Pedersen - drums, percussion, typewriter
References
edit- ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 284.
- ^ "The Monks of Doom Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (December 5, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation.
- ^ Heim, Chris (25 Sep 1992). "The Popular Front". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. S.
- ^ a b "Monks of Doom". Trouser Press. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
- ^ "The Weeks Ahead". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 9 Oct 1992. p. 3E.
- ^ Maestri, Cathy (October 1, 1992). "Monks one of rock's 'odd birds'". The Press-Enterprise. p. C12.
- ^ Armstrong, Gene (December 11, 1992). "Monks of Doom to spread the word downtown". Arizona Daily Star.
- ^ a b "Album Reviews — Forgery by Monks of Doom". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 39. Sep 26, 1992. p. 69.
- ^ a b "Forgery". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Caro, Mark (19 Nov 1992). "Rave recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
- ^ Allen, Greg (October 2, 1992). "'Forgery' – Monks of Doom". At the Shore. The Press of Atlantic City.
- ^ "Audio – Forgery by Monks of Doom". Guitar Player. Vol. 27, no. 1. Jan 1993. p. 120.
- ^ Harrison, Tom (9 Feb 1993). "Monks of Doom: Forgery". The Province. p. B5.
- ^ "Quick Fixes — Forgery by Monks of Doom". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 12. Dec 1992. p. 112.
- ^ Luhrssen, Dave (23 Oct 1992). "Monks maintain an attitude". The Milwaukee Journal. p. D2.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (6 Oct 1992). "Post-Modern Bands Arty Hearty: Alternative Disciples Also Heard From". Features Yo!. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 36.
- ^ "Night Sounds". Calendar. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 12 Nov 1992. p. 7.