Roadside Monument
Seattle, Washington7 reviews across 5 releases
Roadside Monument was a Seattle band formed in 1994 and signed to Tooth & Nail Records early in its career. Its 1996 debut, Beside This Brief Hexagonal, used loud guitars and rough vocals without settling into a standard punk shape. Songs could move from lounge music to pummeling noise within a few minutes; "Seed" was the clearest example, shifting from a smooth opening into a screamed climax. The group rebuilt its lineup before Eight Hours Away From Being A Man, and the music became denser, more forceful and less accessible. Violin, trumpet and feedback appeared beside abrupt changes in tempo and tone, while the songs often seemed to contain several contrasting sections. The result remained emotional without becoming simple emo.
After bassist Johnathon Ford moved to Chicago, Roadside Monument broke up following the 1998 Cornerstone Festival. I Am The Day Of Current Taste had already been recorded and appeared several months later, presenting a larger and less cohesive version of the band's mixture of melody, chaos and instrumental detail. In 2002, Ford returned to Seattle and the band reunited for local shows and a tour with Pedro the Lion. The second incarnation lasted about a year before ending in 2003. Ford then formed Unwed Sailor, while Doug Lorig and Matt Johnson continued working in other Seattle projects.
5 releases reviewed
Beside This Brief Hexagonal
Puller/Roadside Monument
I Am The Day Of Current Taste