This is the second chapter of their universe expanding trilogy which picks up where “Year of the Goat” left off, following Monkey and Good Goat on their further adventures through space, consciousness and time. Anchored vocally again by Damian Abraham and Tuka Mohammed, on Year of the Monkey Fucked Up are joined by an incredible chorus of guest voices which bring to life the brilliantly crafted and imaginative supporting characters of Grass Can Move Stones. Among them are John Brannon (Negative Approach, Laughing Hyenas), Carson McHone (The Outfit, Carson McHone), Walter Schreifels (Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today), Dan Bejar (Destroyer), Keith Morris (Circle Jerks, Off!), Jake Bannon (Converge), Brandon Welchez (Crocodiles), Chris Colohon (Left For Dead, Cursed), Leigh Arthur (Extravision, Sissy) and Annie-Claude Deschênes (Duchess Says) reprising her role as Tiger from FU’s 2012 release "Year of the Tiger."

 

The motifs, themes, and structures of the music directly interlace with the story and characters in - even for Fucked Up - unprecedented levels of compositional development and detail. Year of the Goat was pastoral, uplifting, and inquisitive, establishing a framework for how the music on Grass Can Move Stones works. On Goat we were re-introduced to the musical thematics from Year of the Dog, Year of the Pig, and Year of the Snake and given the Goat specific majestic choruses of “Wake my child and turn your ear” which you will still see references to peppered throughout the incoming sides.

 

On Monkey, as the journey deepens further into tumult, inner conflict, uncertainty, and peril, the music similarly leans much more heavily into pummelling places. There is an orchestral feel to the opening refrains of Monkey, cascading melodic lines in layers as dense as My Bloody Valentine but with guitar harmonies not out of place in a Thin Lizzy middle eight. This compositional style flows throughout the four sides of Monkey weaving in and out of melodic and very hard musical styles.

 

There are echoes of proto-metal and early hard rock akin to the rhythmic swerves of Captain Beyond or the show-band tinged rock and roll of Alice Cooper ploughed whole heartedly though full stacks and crushing thickly distorted guitars. Stylistic lunges at “Seasons in the Abyss” era Slayer, “Heartwork” era Carcass, and dramatic Metallica-esque riffing all heard in varying adaptations, and among the momentum of all of these sounds, Fucked Up manage to carve out deep groove-laden passages like a lost prog-funk platter layered with towel dampened drums, acoustic guitars, and comforting grand piano. Think Sly Stone, David Axelrod and Jim Sullivan staring at the stars and telling the story of the universe. Dizzying soporific passages of modern psychedelia, penned with an intentional sense of video-game like “open world” musical architecture full of musical goodies and references allows for the many melodic themes and gestures to travel the landscape along with its narrative counterparts.

 

The specific Monkey “chorus,” one of the most prominent themes that is recurring on all four sides, develops and adapts to the situations we find our protagonist in, starting first with its melodic optimism and recapitulating itself into burdened, wounded, or violent iterations as the story progresses. New adaptations of music from Year of the Rat, Year of the Tiger, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Hare all make appearances here as the sounds of Year of the Monkey breathe and travel much as the characters do.

 

Grass Can Move Stones tells the story of Monkey and Good Goat, two young friends who embark on a journey of self discovery, encountering gods, magical creatures, and dangers along the way, loosely following the narrative of the fundamental Journey to the West, written in the 16th century by Wu Cheng'en. The story also charts the career of the band, whose search for a musical home has led them through a varied and complex discography over the past 25 years.

 

Side A : 1. Looking for Heaven and Not Finding It

Side B : 1. Before Us Tigers Stood

Side C : 1. Monkey Meets the Dragon

Side D : 1. Empty is the Hand