Of Monsters and Men, the Icelandic pop band known for their charming vocals and indie tunes, is once more returning to our shores. Their last East Coast tour in 2016 was fully sold-out and this time, they will be arriving with a new studio album under their belts, ready to perform.
Fever Dream, containing hits like ‘Alligator’, ‘Wars’ and ‘Wild Roses’, has brought Of Monsters and Men to another level, highlighting once again the depth and flexibility of their music.
“This album is personal, the themes on the album feel right and connected. It allowed me to question things in my life, to have a conversation about them and not shy away from everything,” vocalist and guitarist Raggi commented. As it should – it’s been in the making since 2017, when the band decided to reconsider who they are as musicians and how they want to create music.
With five people in a band, there’s bound to be discussion and disagreement, which can both aid and hinder album development – but choosing to take time to study music and reflect on their places in the world has allowed the band to develop and come to a deeper understanding of the messages they’d like to share.
Now we get to enjoy the fruits of their labour, with songs that explore anxiety through light and joy, and provide us with a fresh, cultured listening experience. It seems only fitting that this experience will take place at Falls Festival: the summer festival known for its amazing headliners set amongst the beautiful Australian outback.
Alongside Falls, they will also be performing with sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne, at our well-loved Forum.
“We’re very excited. When we released our first album, Australia was one of the countries that embraced us a lot. It’ll be cool to come back,” says Raggi, but when it comes to the Australian weather, he’s more cautious. “The last time I came around this time, December, January, I got so sunburnt. I’ll have to dress accordingly!”
The same goes for everyone at Falls – slip, slap, slop and bring a bucket hat. For the show, Raggi also had some parting words of wisdom: “Drink a lot of water and go to the bathroom before our show!”
And just as importantly: “When we have a show, we want to make it open. We want people to feel free to participate in a non-judgemental environment. They should come and have fun!”
If you’ve missed Of Monsters and Men and would like to see them play, tickets to Falls and their sideshow at Melbourne’s Forum (Friday, January 10) are available online.
Written by Daniela Koulikov
