Although Monsters Are Waiting will at first glance probably get pegged as an emo band, there’s a moody ’80s pop/’90s shoegaze vibe running through the band’s debut album, Fascination. The Echo Park, California quartet are fronted by Annalee Fery, who can slink through a song like Debbie Harry or squeal like Cyndi Lauper while still making it all sound fascinating and essential. Meanwhile, the band fashions a dark yet non-threatening atmosphere for Fery to wrap her versatile voice around, like My Bloody Valentine channeling the Banshees’ brighter moments with an angular Franz Ferdinand pop intensity. Monsters Are Waiting have already proven to be a hot commodity in the LA scene and they’ve even had a guest spot on an episode of One Tree Hill; Fascination is solid proof that they deserve a wider but equally passionate audience.
Brian Baker
