Mona Loves

Mona loves…Friday Night Lights

So, I know it looks ridiculous…I know it doesn’t scream intelligent writing…BUT MY GOSH WHAT A SHOW!!!!! Very clever writing with a strong sense of the social stress in Texas football. And with a soundtrack consisting of Explosions In The Sky and I’m pretty sure I heard ISIS in there once, You cannot go wrong!!!!!! I started last Sunday and I’m half way through season 3…

-Ben

P.S. No other show has ever had such a great soundtrack. FACT.

Mona loves…Immanu El

Hey people,

So completely unaware to me, the new album ‘In Passage’ from Immanu El was released through the cracks. Maybe i’ve been too out of the loop with the genre but this is a great great great 8 track release. Huge step up from the last album from beginning to end and much better mix of instrumentation. Enjoy.

-Ben

Mona Loves…The Cool Kids

So, I’m quite a lot late to the game on this one but this interesting ‘retro’ duo were repping the SWAG HIPSTER SNAPBACK HI-TOP 90’S before it was the ‘cool’ thing to be into. Their beats and flow reminds me of a mix of New Boyz (meh) and A Tribe Called Quest (best.group.ever). Now, they just released a new album but I haven’t been able to give it the time of day seeing as their old stuff is too rad. Check them out!

~Ben

Mona Loves…SALEM

Words cannot describe how in love I am with this band…Serious. This album has become my album to live on a deserted island with. It’s two guys and a girl from Seattle who make these intense dark wave, trip hop, dubstep, eerie tracks and create these insane videos to go along with them. 

Enjoy

~Ben

Mona Loves…ASAP Rocky

So, Although no so ‘store-friendly’ music, ASAP’s new album ‘Live Love A$AP’ is a true testament to the level of creativity coming from the east coast hip hop scene. What I’ve noticed recently is that the west coast has maintained popularity with a horde of artists for twenty years or so, WHERE AS, the east coast have had the MOST amazing artists come in very few numbers (The Wu, Longevity)…But NOW! ASAP Rocky is coming to breathe life back into the scene.

BTW, his album is available to download for free online at;

http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/15168/asap_rocky_liveloveaap.html

~Ben

Photos by Sara Van der Mijnsbrugge

Mona Loves…Lanterns on the Lake

So,

Newcastle six-piece Lanterns on the Lake released their debut album ‘Gracious Tide, Take Me Home’ not too long ago, and it’s been on repeat on my iPod and in the store ever since. With both female and male vocalist, the harmonies are beautiful and with such a full sound this album has become one of my top 5 of the year. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lanterns-On-The-Lake/161149807914?sk=info

~Ben

Mona Loves…Drive

So,

Not being a fan of Ryan Gosling, mainly due to the fact that women base his acting ability on how pretty he is, I was reluctant to take the leap with his new film Drive…I’ve seen it twice now. From the cinematography to a perfectly subtle soundtrack, this feature, although supremely violent, is great for anyone looking to watch one of the FEW great movies out this year…and with co-stars like Ron Perlman, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston (that dad from ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ turned crazy drug dealer in ‘Breaking Bad’), HOW can you go wrong.

~Ben