Out With The Old

When I begin my workday, I always throw on the radio. Radio isn’t something people typically listen to anymore – with the advent of streaming services, podcasts and the ability to listen to just about anything you can dream of at your fingertips. But radio has always been my way of connecting to the world around me – especially now as we draw closer to the first anniversary COVID-19 was announced as a global pandemic.

Bands and the music world, in general, have been hit hard by COVID. But like any band in music, this is just a reason for bands like Toronto-based indie quartet Monowhales to work harder than ever. And let me tell you, with their full-length release Daytona Bleach now out in the world, and with several hit songs already on prominent mainstream alt-rock radio like 102.1 The Edge and Indie88 Toronto, lead singer Sally Shaar and her bandmates are just getting started. As an early superfan of this up-and-coming Toronto rock-powerhouse, I was over the moon when I secured an interview with Sally for their upcoming release.

Bandmates Sally Shaar and Zach Zanardo met in high school and later met drummer Jordan Circosta at Humber College – Lakeshore, where Sally attended post-secondary. With Sally and the band’s musical inspiration drawing from a wide range of genres, from pop favourites like Britney Spears and Spice Girls to indie sweethearts like Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes, Elliot Smith and Kimbra; there’s no wonder that this band has something to offer to the world sonically on this new record.

But let’s start at the beginning. When I asked where the band got the name, which they decided on the day before a band competition was from “a Simpsons reference. You know, “Monorail” kind of thing, but there used to be this like, whale graffiti near our jam space. So it’s kind of a joke to do with that. But everyone will argue about this because we all believe there are different reasons why the band happened. But that’s mine, that’s my story, that’s what I’m going with”. Honestly, I would have never guessed that The Simpsons: Season 4, Episode 12 “Marge vs. The Monorail” reference for the band’s name, but then again, inspiration can come from anywhere, right?

RECORDING DAYTONA BLEACH

Daytona Bleach is Monowhales’ first full-length effort. Recorded with producer Ryan Worsley, the band finished the tracks “RWLYD” and “Out With The Old” in a Toronto studio, after which Worsley invited them out to British Columbia (BC) to finish the record with him. I was able to ask about the experience of recording in one of Canada’s most beautiful provinces (in my humble opinion).

Sally described the experience to me in one self-explanatory word: “Dope!”, going on to say that “(it) was dope! Like we never recorded anything outside of Toronto, it was nice to have a different kind of atmosphere, and it was halfway through the tour, so much a different mindset. Tour is just like go go go go, every night, hardly sleeping, like all this craziness. And then to get in the studio and now you have to sit in the songs. … And it was a good practice to be on tour because you kind of get to know what the songs are like when you’re playing them live, and then you want to get in the studio and figure how you are going to record them.”

As somewhat of a musician myself, I’m always thrilled to ask artists how their experience was if they had ever recorded music outside their home province. Especially to hear that, in this band’s case, much of the record’s production was done while on tour. And so they were able to perfect the tracks for the recorded versions by using their live shows almost as “practice”.

Now, without much more rambling from me, let’s get to what you clicked on this post for. You see, not only did I get a chance to sit down with Sally and hear the Monowhales story from her perspective, but I was also able to preview each track on the upcoming record for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

SONG-FOR-SONG REVIEW

1. All Or Nothing

All or Nothing, the second single off Daytona Bleach, is a powerhouse rock anthem that broke through on radio charts after “RWLYD”. “All or Nothing”, which hit the Top 10 at Alternative Rock. "(The song) is about the attitude we bring to everything we do as MONOWHALES,” the trio says. “As an independent band, we risk it all to bring our art to our fans. This song tells the story of overcoming the obstacles and naysayers that have stood in our way since the beginning. We are going to make it no matter what it takes, and we’re going to do it our way.”

It’s power-chord charged and full of drum fills. Sally’s voice is super-charged with a rock-and-roll snare, overtop of the raging instrumental voicing lyrical sentiments like “Don’t stop me now I’m breaking down but baby I’m on a roll/Yeah I believe it I can feel it in my shivering soul”, as Jordan’s drumming sets the beat for the song.

2. He Said/She Said (I Wait)

This song begins as a build-up sentiment into a synthesizer-backed super-charged dance song. Sally bribes you with lyrics like “I wait, like a disease yeah/I wait, chemical breeze/I wait, second degree, yeah”, and “That’s what he said/that’s what she said”. The bridge is chilling as the pop-like guitar chords build into the final chorus. It’s brilliant.

3. BL/FF (Fake Friends)

This song also has a dance vibe, with the energy and synth-inspired beats that echo the entire record’s vibe. The lyrical inspiration behind the song, online dating, is reflected in Sally belting out “we’re better lovers/than fake friends/whatever’s better for you…” and lines like “Cut, cut, me off, cut me off aha-yeah/cause I got your love, got your love in my hands”. All of this, of course, builds up to the catchy, radio-ready “ooh, ooh’s” chorus’ as the song’s form repeats into another dance-like rhythm.

4. Out With The Old

When asked about the lyrical inspiration of the band’s first radio hit of 2021, a title with a lovely sentiment to ring in the new year and shake off the out-of-control realities of 2020 – with much of the world still battling COVID, the Monowhales frontwoman said “We were also saying like, when is it going to turn over – like things turn over. I mean like let’s go!! Not only for us on a personal level, but the crap that was going on around us. Funny enough, it just happened to be the single that came out in 2021. We weren’t even planning to release it in 2021. Still, it just beautifully turned out that way”.

A tune that initially lead guitarist Zach Zanardo brought in and wrote most the of lyrics for, it was a gem of a tune welcomed by the other bandmates, with Sally telling me after hearing it once, “whoa! We need to work on this one”. A powerful rock anthem that builds up to rally-cry chorus for change as Sally calls out to her generation, on “out with the old/and in with the new”.

5. RWLYD (Really Wanna Let You Down)

After getting 140K+ Spotify streams and featured on popular Spotify playlists for early singles like “Home”, and “Take It Back”, off of 2018’s “Control Freak” EP, RWLYD, the fifth track on the record, in 2019 broke a radio record for being #2 on Mediabase Canada Alternative Rock Chart and #4 on the Billboard/BDS Canada Modern Rock Chart. I had the opportunity to ask Sally lyrically where that particular song came from. She had this to say.

“I think at that time in the band we were all feeling that there was too much pressure too much on our plate, whether that be work, home life – the pressure you put on yourselves, it doesn’t even have to do with other people. I mean, all of that. It came to a point where we were like, sometimes, you might have to let people down. And it was a hard realization because you don’t let people down. But that was the point where for the betterment of our mental health; you have to make that call. And you kind of hope that if the people around you love you and cherish you, that by the time you come back from that place, it will be better for everyone”.

6. Over My Head

There is a darker tone for this tune than the previous tracks on the record – but still that same synthesizer-inspired, guitar-infused surcharge. “Ooh baby won’t drive me crazy/too bad I’m going to run you dry/ooh baby getting far also hazy/I’m in over my head!" Sally taunts in a lower tone over a slow, swing-like beat.

7. I Don’t Think About You

The final track of the record picks things up again a little. From my first listen, it sounds like a bit of a “fuck-you” to a past relationship/experience, lyric-wise, as Sally mocks over a dance-like chorus, “I don’t think about you at night/don’t feel it wasting my time”.

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Unfortunately, live shows are few and far between these days. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t come back someday (as an avid concertgoer myself in the pre-COVID era, I’m crossing my fingers as to sooner rather than later!). And having been lucky enough as a fan, and thanks to digital tech, being able to attend 2 (and still counting!!) of Monowhales’ virtual shows, I know the band has been working harder than ever during lockdown to hone their craft in the way of live events. As the indie quartet’s frontwoman herself told me, they’re “itching” to get back in front of a live audience. But until then, stream Daytona Bleach is out today, everywhere you can stream (or buy!!) music.