Monotonix

Something’s missing here. It’s not a bassist, which Tel Aviv’s Monotonix does just fine without. What’s missing is the bat-shit craziness of the trio’s live show. The arena rock swagger. A lead singer who doubles as a running back. Flaming drums. Umm … yeah, it was a daunting task for producer/Fucking Champs guitarist Tim Green to capture these guys on tape. Body Language, the band’s first release on Drag City, is a 22-minute romp loaded with glam-kissed guitar riffs and window-rattling drums that sound like they were recorded in a tin shed. Three of the EP’s six songs have actually been kicking around for years on the band’s self-produced records—here the mix is better, and it sounds like more time was devoted to Ami Shalev’s vocals. One thing that’s not lost is the guitar work of Yonatan Gat, who seamlessly dances between rhythm and lead while drummer Rani Shimoni (since replaced by Haggai Fershtman) slices through with precision drum beats. The band tours relentlessly, but if you can’t catch Monotonix live try this: Close all the windows, turn up the heater, throw this disc on, and proceed to punch yourself in the face.