John LaMonica’s Volunteers is likely to divide listeners into two camps: passionate haters and passionate lovers.  Volunteers is the product of “cut and paste” style arrangement and recording, but unlike the syncopation of fellow “cut and paster” Gold Panda, his style is one that is much more frantic and spastic.  LaMonica’s sounds are most influenced by Richard D James-era Aphex Twin in his manipulations of tempo and beat, especially in the forty-five second long, “Mr. Turtle” with its abrupt and spastic electronic blips.

Throughout the album, LaMonica uses various samples to invite the listener on a journey into his world.  His aspiration of mystery is clearly portrayed at the end of “Don’t Talk to Strangers” with his decision to include a voice mail sample in which a friend states that he read on the internet that John was dead.  Moments like this will likely make some cringe, but in context with spastic flow of Volunteers, it enhances the hysteria and mystique of the album.

When he sings, LaMonica evokes Thom Yorke’s lengthy croon.  “Soco” resembles what could be an unfinished b-side off Radiohead’s most recent The King of Limbs.  “Wolf Protestor” channels a “Fake Plastic Trees” vibe, and the song is much less chaotic than the rest of the album.  It shows LaMonica in his best and most rare light: lyrically thoughtful and live-instrument oriented.  Though it may not show much through the record, “Wolf Protestor” is a testament that La Monica is capable of more than just arranging chaotic blips into heavy beats.

The album, about half instrumental, is largely undisciplined and is sure to turn a lot of people off. I still can’t help but feel very impressed, however, with what LaMonica is aspiring for.  His approach to song writing is diverse, and though it may sound spastic and disjointed, there is a string of continuity that holds Volunteers together, if only just barely.  Perhaps with the help of a producer, or maybe just more time developing his craft, LaMonica could make a fabulous and cohesive record that could span audiences.  For the moment, let’s just say that LaMonica has potential and Volunteers has some great moments.

John LaMonica – Volunteers by Moodgadget