Full Monty - Full Monty

Full Monty

Full Monty
self-released; 2015

3.4 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Full Monty is the solo project for Dan Harness. In December of last year he released a self-titled four-song EP Full Monty, which contains a mix of punk, alternative and even folk. The songs are well written and even though the EP is far from perfect it is still enjoyable.

First up is “Learn to Be Wrong” which starts with an acoustic guitar picking that unexpectedly gets traded in for drums, distorted guitar and bass. The verse is composed of basic power chord progression and Harness does a decent job singing but I thought the vocals were too low during the verse. When the chorus comes along the first thing I thought of was Foo Fighters. There was something very Dave Grohl-esque between the drumming and guitar progressions. During the chorus Harness sings, “So I’m taking on this patient life I try to sit but I can’t get things right Take me home, where I belong So I can learn to be wrong.”

I enjoyed the fast paced, chord changing transition during “Used Hard Grenade.” Oddly enough I thought his vocals sat on top of the mix this time around. Harness breaks out an acoustic guitar and what sounds like an electric piano for “One Heart, One Mouth” which happens to be the highlight. Harness does a good job singing although he does run into some turbulence when he tries hitting high notes. It’s arguably but Harness’s biggest strength may be his lyrics which tend to be poetic, ambiguous and often prolific. He sings, “ To breaking habits in my head Stopping motion so I can, breathe Sympathy won't coexist My heart pounds out of my chest When can I be released?”

He closes with “Wine Into Water” which is more or less a straightforward rock with predictable changes and transition. Not necessarily a bad thing but you could see a lot of the moves coming before they arrived. 

Harness surely has talent but I think some of the music on his self-titled EP feels undefined in that there wasn’t too much there which you can clearly associate with Full Monty. It’s something easier said than done and I think that Full Monty did at least establish a foundation. Overall, a decent start but I have a feeling his best work lies ahead as he gets accustomed to being a solo artist. 

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