The Knew

Denver quartet, The Knew, is back with a new LP, Man Monster, an album which brings together their twist on rock, country and just a sprinkle of indie to successfully bring enough oomph to get their fans out of their seats and onto their feet—until halfway through.

Man Monster kicks off with “Major Nights,” giving the listener a jogging start to get the heart pumping with a guitar and drum battle to get one’s attention paired off with some catchy lyrics.

Next it hits the ears with “Awesome,” and a guitar intro that is guaranteed to deliver a jolt to the body as the lyrics hit it with a message about how ‘awesome’ life truly is.

But without warning, Man Monster switches to a slow rhythm that sucks the life right out of you.

Tracks like “Old And Young,” tantalize the listener with the prospect of something they can sink their teeth into, but never deliver. The same can be expected for the tracks, “Marianne (Four Winds),” and “Yellow Moon.”

These tracks’ only redemption is that they are bookended by tracks that pump some life back into the listener.

Man Monster is an album that manages to stay consistent with the genres that make The Knew who they are. The only disappointment is the level at which they took their lows to. They hit a tempo that, when compared to the rest of the album, barely manage to keep the listener off the respirator.