Lochness Monster - Fables (Self-Released)

Lochness Monster is an alt-rock band based out of Miami, FL, formed in 2014. Peaking at #16 on the CMJ charts, the band’s debut album, Fables, released earlier this year, has already been moderately successful. To anyone, it is immediately clear that Weezer is a large influence on Lochness Monster, but the band’s slightly more progressive and serious than the pseudo-heavy metal pop punk lyricism of Rivers Cuomo. Lochness Monster’s latest single pulled from the album, “Pixie Cut,” is the most obvious tip of the hat here, and could have easily found a home on a record like Pinkerton.

Although “Pixie Cut” is among the strongest individual tracks on Fables, the rest of the album is extremely consistent. Whether it’s songs that follow in its footsteps like “Anchors Gone” and “15 Rounds,” or ballads like “Salem” and “Pendulum,” Lochness Monster sound remarkably self-assured for a relatively fresh band. What’s most interesting, however, is that the band seems to fall into a recent trend of music nostalgic for late ’90s alternative, an idea frightening for those who feel like that era was only yesterday. Nevertheless, the band seems genuine in their intent, and Fables is a fantastically executed debut.