MONZANO

Monzano is an indiepop quartet based in Oslo, Norway. Subsequent to the release of their first EP in 2005 the band quickly gained recognition for their hooky, spacious and charismatic pop, and the band stepped into the light at the by:Larm festival in 2007. Shortly after, their first full length album, High Horses & One Trick Ponies, was released in Norway on How is Annie Records, and their debut received excellent reviews. The album even caught Japanese interest, and in 2008 High Horses & One Trick Ponies was released in Japan on Friend of Mine Records. The video of the album hit Poster Boy frequented MTV Japan in the months following the release. The EP Bonus Trucks was released few months after the album.
After a couple of changes in the lineup in August 2008, Monzano with its new constellation and new song material played several shows in Norway throughout 2009 with the Øya festival in Oslo as the highlight. After spending the rest of the year in studio, the band's second album By This Time Last Year Everything Will Seem Younger was released in Norway on Spoon Train Audio in February 2010. The album received good reviews and the new and revitalized Monzano was once again on the by:Larm festival lineup. Several tracks from the new album found their way to Norwegian radio stations; the first single "Cold Waters" was on the Norwegian radio channel NRK P3's playlists for 15 weeks.
The band toured Norway in March 2010 as part of the "Spit Back at the Road" tour along with My Little Pony and The Little Hands of Asphalt, and played Norwegian festivals like Slottsfjell and Månefestivalen in the summer. "By This Time." was also released in Japan in August 2010 on Friend of Mine Records.
A digital EP called Apple Handsome was released on Lazy Acre Records November 1. It featured six tracks from previous Monzano releases.
Monzano is blending guitar-craftsmanship reminiscent of Built to Spill with swirling synthlines and driving rhythms, yet never losing touch with classic songwriting skills. Their lyrical universe, with its poetic flakiness that swerves between sarcastic cynicism and hearts sewn firmly to their shirt sleeves, is also frequently mentioned as one of their strongholds.
B U Y A T
iTunes
Amazon
Platekompaniet
CDON.com
Tiger
Amazon Japan
How is Annie Records
HMV
Tower Records Japan
R E V I E W S
APPLE HANDSOME EP
"So know that these eight songs are all equally gorgeous and likely to reduce you to a love-struck dreamer gazing at the stars"
- The405 (8.5/10)
BY THIS TIME LAST YEAR EVERYTHING WILL SEEM YOUNGER
"Impressive, smart and easy to like"
- Dagsavisen (5/6)
"No reason to be picking out highlights here because it is all mostly brilliant"
- Firdaposten (5/6)
"Radio stations with a little self respect should open their ears immediately"
- Groove.no (5/7)
"Really worth listening to"
- Dagbladet.no (4/6)
"Strong melodies and clever lyrics"
- Aftenposten.no (4/6)
"It’s a damn solid album. It’s deliciously familiar, yet fresh and promising"
- Birds sometimes dance (8/10)
"A treasure chest of good songs"
- Eardrums Music
HIGH HORSES AND ONE TRICK PONIES
"Far better than I had ever dared to expect"
- Eardrums Music (5.5/6)
"Pleasing, catchy and available"
- Trønder-Avisa (5/6)
"Oozes of international caliber"
- Exact Magazine (5/6)
"Keeps you spellbound to the very end"
- Rockeweb (5/6)
B O O K I N G
www.spoontrain.no/live
henning@spoontrain.no