Mono (Japanese band)

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This article is about the Japanese post-rock band. For the UK pop band, see Mono (UK band).

MONO
Live in Stockholm, 2005
Origin	Tokyo
Country	Japan
Years active	2000-present
Genres	Post-rock
Labels	Temporary Residence Limited Pastel Music Arena Rock Recording Co. Human Highway Records RykoDisk Musicmine Tzadik Records
Members	Tamaki Takaakira "Taka" Goto Yoda Yasunori Takada
Website(s)	www.mono-jpn.com

MONO is a post-rock group from Tokyo, Japan that formed in late 1999/early 2000 and has since become a highly influential band in the Japanese underground and post-rock communities.

1 History
2 Sound
3 Relationship With Fans
4 Members
5 Discography
6 References
7 Internet Sources
8 External links

[edit] History

Work on MONO was started in January of 2000 by guitarist Takaakira Goto. Working by himself, Goto completed most of MONO's demo tracks, partly influenced by guitarist Loren Connors. By late 1999 Goto was searching for band members, the first of which to join up with him was fellow guitarist and long time friend Yoda. Soon afterwards the guitarist duo linked up with bassist Tamaki and drummer Yasunori Takada and MONO was formed. On small-time label Forty-4, the newly coalesced quartet released a 4 track EP entitled Hey, You. Following Hey, You MONO put together its first full length album in 2001, Under the Pipal Tree on the prominent label Tzadik. During this album's time in the recording studio the attacks of September 11th took place. This was to have a deep affect on MONO's later work. Under the Pipal Tree, along with the EP, introduced MONO's style which is focused on layered guitar melodies. All of MONO's songs are entirely instrumental, and Strings and pianos are also prominently featured in several songs. This album was met by generally good reviews but despite its bold sound was referred to by Goto in a 2006 interview with Phil McMullen as a "very, very young album"^[1], just the beginning for the development of the band's sound. Many critics agree with that statement and for the most part they have given MONO's following three releases better reviews each time.

In 2003 MONO finished its next album: One Step More and You Die. The album takes on a much darker tone than its predecessor, perhaps because MONO's members were still affected by September 11th. Music critics largely see this album as much more matured than Under the Pipal Tree, and of a more unique sound. Touring at this time, however, was not quite so fruitful. MONO made an abbreviated tour following the One Step More's release with performances in parts of New York and Sweden. The length of the tour and the behavior of some of the American crowds, who Goto said in the McMullan interview were "always talking a lot and drinking beers and making a lot of noise"^[2] left the band somewhat unsatisfied.

Undaunted, MONO moved on to a new project, which was one directly in response to the aftermath of September 11th. This album was titled New York Soundtracks and was done in collaboration with several important members of the New York experimental scene such as DJ Olive, Jackie-O Motherfucker, and Loren Connors (a guitarist that Goto has respected for years). New York Soundtracks consists of remixes of all of One Step More and You Die's tracks. Following Sountracks MONO embarked on the production of their next album, Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined which was released on October 5th, 2004. There is much backstory to this album, especially behind one of its songs A Thousands Paper Cranes. The inspiration comes from Goto's inner searching about what defines the Japanese as a people. The first thing that came to his mind was the fact that Japan is the only country to have been on the receiving end of an atomic bomb. To help ease the intense feelings still surrounding the event in Japan Goto suggested that the Japanese "should be expressing more hope"^[3] and embrace their culture. And "The paper cranes story is a very very typical piece of Japanese culture"^[4]. The story to which he refers is formally called Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes in which a young girl, Sadako, attempts purge the leukemia from her body by appeasing the gods through folding a thousand folded paper cranes. Following the release of this album, which received even more critical acclaim than the one preceding it, MONO began a lengthy tour which was much more satisfying than the previous one.

MONO's next solo musical escapade was with their intense, yet optimistic 2006 album You Are There which was released on June 24th. However prior to this critically acclaimed and highly successful album, MONO collaborated with renowned Japanese post-rock band World's End Girlfriend (the solo project of Katsuhiko Maeda). This collaboration, titled Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain was released in 2005 and was met with rave reviews. Ian Mathers of Stylus Magazine praised the album as "the single most magnificent piece of music"^[5] he'd heard all year. Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain makes much use of string instruments such as the violin and the cello but also features an instrument with prominent usage in MONO's music, the guitar. You Are There met similar success and is seen by many as their most powerful album. Since its release MONO departed on a six month long tour, drawing faithful crowds all over the world to their melodies. Currently the band is on a world tour which will reach the United States in April.

[edit] Sound

Overall MONO's style adheres to the formula used by other post-rock bands such as Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. This method involes a fairly long crescendo which builds up to a powerful climax in the middle, which in turn is followed by more subdued melodies that finish off the song. Though this style is employed by many post-rock bands MONO's sound is considered by many to be highly unique. Their albums have received critical praise and are characteristized by a dramatic and melancholy sound. Also, MONO is known for their powerful live performances. They go for this power in their albums as well, playing them "live", so to speak, meaning that very little electronic manipulation is done and songs are recorded in single takes. However, part of their power in concert reportedly comes from their intense physical involvement in the music. It should also be noted that their shows are extremely loud - even to well-seasoned show goers.

[edit] Relationship With Fans

MONO, like most bands associated the underground music scene, maintains a strong relationship with their fans. Goto, in a recent interview with Semtex Magazine, pointed out that for MONO, promotion is not a priority, they tour "to meet the crowd"^[6]