Bootblacks/Monozid Split 7"
Review by Pat Short

Like brass knuckles on a velvet glove, this split 7", featuring New York's Bootblacks and Leipzig, Germany's Monozid, smacks you upside the head with a touch of class. While reminiscent of the pointed, hectoring assault of The Holy Kiss (Panther, vox, and Alli, guitar, being former members), Bootblacks manage to distill much of what was good about that band into 2 songs and 7 minutes, while also steering their music in more melodic directions. "Empire" goes through a variety of changes, from bouncy, Jaks-ish surf-noise to plangent harmonics and a rousing, once-repeated, new wave-inflected chorus. "Tuxedo Tomcat" creeps up on you with a clean, glammy guitar/drum riff that gives the song a pop feel…until the elliptically debauched lyrics and dark, counter- melodic bass kick in. Bootblacks reel you in, then pounce…forceful stuff.

Bootblacks | Photo by Jeremy Harris

Monozid are a bit harder to pin down; while the two songs featured here have an doom- wave era Cure feel, albeit slightly heavier, they don't leave as much of an impression as their side-A counterparts. "Shame of the Nation" throws a lot of post-punk scratches and frenetic beats into the pot, but can't quite cook up what the Bootblacks do with similar ingredients. That said, "Turquoise Fields Burn Brighter, Honey" comes in with a killer dancy bass riff that would make Peter Hook proud, though the vocals are somewhat drab and lacking character. Not bad, they've got all their sounds down, but more memorable songs would go a long way.

This 7" is soon to be out on the European label Major Label Records, currently available from the Bootblacks online, check out their myspace:

Bootblack's Myspace
Monozid's Myspace
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