NOT A PROTOTYPE! - Mntclr

 Description: Mntclr (Mont-clair) is not a prototype! Read about one of my favourite local bands in the scene and why their sound is so unparalleled. (read time: approx. 5 minutes)

Seriously bet you haven’t heard the fusion of genres that Mntclr creates through their music. Now I know this entire post I’m going to be boasting about how amazing I think this band is and what they have to offer so I’m just going to go off the bat and recognize the bias. Nonetheless I hope you can see the objective analysis of the instruments and music, but I love Mntclr and you should too. 

I couldn’t describe to you how cool I think Mntclr’s sound is. It’s a base of indie rock with elements of this jazzy-folk-indie-math-rock in it that I think is so refined, refreshing and special. They truly have a talent and a gift that not only deserves—but needs to be shown to the world. 

Starting with the band’s vocals, it is filled with technique and character, and the most impressive part is that it’s seamless and sounds especially effortless. The lead’s vocals have a beautiful range with low and high notes and everything in between; moments of belting, vibrato, some of the most interesting runs I’ve ever heard and some of the best songwriting I’ve come across. And when I tell you it comes so naturally you can tell they were meant for this role. Though many songs cover different themes all of them explore their respective motifs through thought-provoking metaphors and profound explorations of it within the lyrics. They’re also written in a really fun and catchy way so once you learn the lyrics, singing along is just as fun as any other band. I know I personally couldn’t write anything near so well-worded enough that it still flows with the music perfectly. 

Every instrument creates a layer in Mntclr’s songs that come together in a distinct but simultaneously unified way. Every single guitar riff goes so damn hard I can’t even make up some well-rounded sentence with fancy words to describe how crazy and technical but fun every guitar lead is. It’s a lot of math rock and cool harmonics, but you’ll also get some odd jazzy parts that you wouldn’t expect. Every song is a journey with loud and quiet elements, ranging dynamics that you’ll want to hear how it changes from beginning to end. From my understanding everything out on their Spotify right now were solely recorded by the two founding members with the now-guitar lead who recorded and mixed every single instrument and that’s just simply insane to me. They now have a full band and I can’t wait to hear what they have in store for the future. I’d like to think I’m pretty well-rounded in music theory in my 12 years of playing instruments and I still can’t understand how bands, particularly Mntclr, come up with melodies so complex yet satisfying. ‘Goodbye, Goodbye,’ ‘Madrid,’ ‘Some are Sweet,’ and ‘Pomegranate’ have some of my favourites from the band and I’d take far too long dissecting each one than just telling you to listen to at least one thing from these guys. 

‘Shaded’ is a track that I think uses all those fusions of genres I had mentioned into one song. It brings in the main riff from the moment it starts and the drums unify it, then the vocals come in and the drums change to a really cool sort of jazzy-folky beat. The singing in this song ranges and uses some layered vocals as well to tie it together. It then hits you with sort of out-of-place unexpected chords that carry through the rest of the song, and soon after the instruments go into a crescendo. The song gives you a pause before hitting you with an eccentric bridge to the end of it and it’s fun, catchy, emotional and a production all at the same time. Other songs like ‘Thrice’ keep a pretty consistent jazzy-feel to it, or ‘Madrid’ which keeps a pretty indie-rock base to it. Every song takes a really unexpected direction but it somehow all flows into a very distinct and refined sound unique to Mntclr. 

While I can go on forever about their self-titled album (2021) and their two singles (2019) I need to talk about their live performance because I recently got the chance to at their Toronto show and I loved every moment of it. But as a last note, per my last local band review (go read!!) another one of my top songs of all time is ‘Goodbye, Goodbye’ by Mntclr. I feel like a lot of people don’t expect their local scene to be any different to things that are more well-known and it stops them from actually incorporating anything in their daily listening rotation; but I feel that’s the whole point. Plus for me, I really get to let people know that their music really makes me feel things. There’s passion in what these smaller bands do and there’s no reason that the passion can’t be shared both ways in an intimate sense like that. Like “hey, I’ve literally cried to your songs!” 

One of my favourite parts about any live show, big or small, is watching the people play their respective instruments. Mntclr’s guitarist and drummer were going absolutely buck during their set. The drumming in Mntclr ranges probably as much as the lead vocals. There’s some really math-rock parts, super jazzy-swift mellow elements and others that carry a really nice beat to accompany and carry the rest of the band. As stated before I know nothing about drums but I can tell you that it sounds seriously good and the drummer is incredibly talented. The basslines in Mntclr’s songs a lot of the time act as an anchor, but when it’s the main melody it always does something really impactful and pungent—it sort of creates a punch in those fragments of different songs. When it shines through it really makes sure it makes its point and I love it, like ‘yeah, this is the bassist’s moment right now, listen to this it’s cool as hell.’

The energy Mntclr brings to their live performances is some of the best you’ll come across. You’re bound to have a good time with these guys because the vibes are all the way up. The crowd was amazing and one of the best parts about it was afterwards I found out the main group having the best time (like seriously, one dude was dripping sweat) didn’t even know anything about the band. It made it that much more fitting to me because I think it proves how special this band is. Every member has great stage presence and it’s some of the most fun I’ve had at a local show. Plus it felt like a little concert to me considering I was singing along the whole time. Definitely don’t miss the chance to see these guys if they’re playing near you. For now, you can check out their Spotify and Bandcamp, and follow them on Instagram!  

Mntclr has seriously brought me a lot of joy and emotions since its beginning and I truly think their sound is timeless, and I will carry their music throughout my lifetime, subsequently attaching more meaning to it. Another unqualified-qualified Prototype stamp of approval. 

https://www.instagram.com/mntclrtheband/

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Not A Prototype is a section where I talk about local bands in the Greater Toronto Area and how their refined sounds aren't just a prototype.