Parquet Courts - Monastic Living

With Parquet Courts it seems almost natural to expect the unexpected. Following last year’s releases of ‘Sunbathing Animal’ and ‘Content Nausea’ – the latter released under the moniker Parkay Quarts – the princes of post-punk might be back to their original band name, but new record ‘Monastic Living’ is as much of a departure as every move the group make.

Their first release on Rough Trade, the release is almost entirely instrumental. Announced as an EP, yet with nine tracks clocking in at a over thirty minutes, Parquet Courts are once again pushing the boundaries of their format. Abundant with raging guitars, storming refrains, and thundering percussion, ‘Monastic Living’ is a tour de force with no regard for convention. With the EP’s very title indicating relinquishing all expectation for something spiritual, what else would you expect?

Opening track ‘No, No, No!’ is the only non-instrumental track on the record. Parquet Courts’ distinctively droll lyrics are at the forefront of squalling riffs and echoing fills for a mere minute, before being discarded for something entirely more encompassing.