The USA Is A Monster

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   Any fans of The USAISAMONSTER? They used to be a favourite of mine and I had the opportunity to see them live several times. I used to have a shirt and a patch of theirs, both of which I proudly wore everywhere.
They have a unique sound that is definitely prog-related. Their 3rd album Wohaw has an epic scope and eclecticism that I think could be appreciated by a prog fan.
I just found out they have a new album out as of Oct ‘20, however I haven’t listened yet.

This is one of their best songs. They rerecorded it when they reformed as a quartet in the late 00’s. However I prefer this version from their 2nd album Tasheyana Compost:

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Crane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 08 2011 Location: Rhode Island Status: Offline Points: 411	Post Options Post Reply Quote Crane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: The USA Is A Monster Posted: April 14 2021 at 10:41
	Any fans of The USAISAMONSTER? They used to be a favourite of mine and I had the opportunity to see them live several times. I used to have a shirt and a patch of theirs, both of which I proudly wore everywhere. They have a unique sound that is definitely prog-related. Their 3rd album Wohaw has an epic scope and eclecticism that I think could be appreciated by a prog fan. I just found out they have a new album out as of Oct ‘20, however I haven’t listened yet. This is one of their best songs. They rerecorded it when they reformed as a quartet in the late 00’s. However I prefer this version from their 2nd album Tasheyana Compost:
	“Art is the recognition of the universal presence of God.” —Ernest Hello

Crane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 08 2011 Location: Rhode Island Status: Offline Points: 411	Post Options Post Reply Quote Crane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 14 2021 at 11:22
	Another favourite of mine, from the 3rd album Wohaw, by which time they’d expanded on two aspects of their sound: a mellow, pastoral, melodic direction; and pummeling, math rock-influenced riffage. They always have their signature complex, meandering melodies, singing awkward, verbose lyrics about the injustices committed against Native Americans, and a strong primitivist bent in their use of outdated synthesisers.
	“Art is the recognition of the universal presence of God.” —Ernest Hello

Crane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 08 2011 Location: Rhode Island Status: Offline Points: 411	Post Options Post Reply Quote Crane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 14 2021 at 19:20
	I think my thread was renamed but the band themselves typically stylise their name The USAISAMONSTER. Another song from Wohaw, this one with both members of the duo playing acoustic guitars. It could bring a tear to your eye, it’s such a tragic story, and a beautiful composition. A unique piece of prog folk.
	“Art is the recognition of the universal presence of God.” —Ernest Hello

Crane Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 08 2011 Location: Rhode Island Status: Offline Points: 411	Post Options Post Reply Quote Crane Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 15 2021 at 05:09
	Well, I’ll keep posting about the band as it seems there’s not a familiarity with them here. Their next album Sunset at the End of the Industrial Age was highly anticipated by my friends and me at the time. I’d seen them live several times around then, and was familiar with the new material from the shows. On this album they beefed up their sound with prominent use of a guitar effect, either an octave effect or a synth bass doubler. It’s hard to underscore how much these guys rocked in a live show. For a two-piece band, they had an exceptionally thick sound and were exceptionally loud. Part of the context of this band is a scene of bands that might be unfamiliar to folks. It has been retroactively called rainbow rock. The most prominent band in the scene was Lightning Bolt. In a live setting it was clear they were part of this scene, though in retrospect it might not make much sense from their recordings. I don’t quite know how to contextualise the weirder, more drone-oriented sections of The USAISAMONSTER’s sound. I may reach out to the band to see what they have to say about it. Anyway, here’s the epic title-track of the album. You hear them do their two sounds very prominently. The sort of primitivist drone and the heavy riffing. Edited by Crane - April 15 2021 at 05:10
	“Art is the recognition of the universal presence of God.” —Ernest Hello

Lewian Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: August 09 2015 Location: Italy Status: Offline Points: 15216	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lewian Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 15 2021 at 09:16
	Wasn't aware of them, but pretty cool stuff that you're posting here.