Search - Sunfall Festival :: Monday 23

Absolutely Amazing

Branden D. Rosenlof | Lehi, UT USA | 09/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Millions of voters on 'Garageband.com' can't be wrong. A collection of incredibly written songs can't be wrong either.. as is made manifest in this extraordinary album. I've followed this band for many years now, and they not once failed to deliver. The guitars, the words, the VOICE! Nothing short of spectacular.

This album, recorded and produced under no major label, holds it's ground against the finest. What more can I say? You just have a see for yourself."

One of the greatest Rock/Pop albums I've ever heard

Brandon M Hays | Holladay, UT United States | 11/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a phenomenal work. Monday 23 (and 23b, for that matter) is astoundingly enjoyable. From the moment when "Someone's Favorite Song" explodes and collapses, like a Big Bang, into the quiet "I Walked Away", it becomes increasingly evident that Sunfall Festival is different, somehow special. I don't just listen to the songs, I savor them. There are a couple of throwaways (Nieces and Nephews, for example) that I find myself skipping through, but racing back to repeat the ones that still give me chills ("Victim", "Someone's Favorite Song", "Sugar", etc.). Taken as a whole, which I don't think is possible unless you get the also-jaw-dropping Monday 23b, a collection of B-Sides, live tracks, and remixes, Monday 23 not only heralds one of the best unsigned bands in the country, it now has earned a spot in my Top Ten favorite albums collection.
--Brandon Hays"

Better late than never

Judson Bagley | Salt Lake City, Utah | 02/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It kills me to see reviews of Monday 23 on this site dating back almost three years, and to know that I could have been enjoying these songs that long ago -- not just the few months since I did happen to stumble upon Sunfall Festival.



Simply put, Monday 23 represents one of those rare acts of creative genius that nobody seems to have expected, and is dripping with the energy that accompanies youth and the joy of not knowing that something isn't supposed to be possible.



At that same time, you can't escape the fact that while it sold a respectable amount in the band's local market, Monday 23 seems to have gone unnoticed nationally; meaning, for all intents and purposes, Monday 23 was not supposed to happen and indeed did not happen.



Why?



First, the album violates several of the rules of mindless, die-cut pop that sets the agenda. The most FM-friendly songs are too long for radio and often forsake the verse-chorus/hook-verse-chorus/hook-bridge-hook-fade formula. There's also a bit of reverb-heavy guitar experimentation, which, I must admit, is more typical of what bands put on retrospective B-side compilations than it is a first effort. And, I get the impression that this band's members are not the sort who are willing to endlessly tour, dress provocatively, trash motel rooms, and generally lead the rock star lifestyle.



Meaning, in spite of all the talent and inspiration crammed into Monday 23, it, along with Sunfall Festival in toto, will not achieve all that is deserved (and that's just another reason I never listen to commercial radio).



At the same time, knowing that Monday 23 will not likely "break through" in earnest makes its discovery all the more satisfying.



If you appreciate inspired music performed by talented musicians who are deeply invested in - and passionate about - their work, get this album; but be prepared to start kicking yourself for not having bought it in 2002."