Monktrump - Long Time

Hear The Track Here

It's a given that, at least once every month, someone will put a track up for review then change their minds almost immediately. Top of the name and shame this month - a busy month, I got two of these guys :D - is Monktrump. To give him due credit, he changed his mind because he felt he had come up with a better version in collaboration with one Simon Williams on who I have no information whatsoever. At this stage I am not even sure who did what so maybe Mike Atkins (aka Monktrump) would like to fill in the gaps.

The trouble with this changing of minds is that I've usually downloaded the original track anyway, so let's see what Mike wanted to avoid should we? The original track is - to my ears - exactly what I would have expected from this artist. Except, I might add, for the vocals which are a big departure for this artist where, for the first time to my knowledge, he sings along with himself and lays down a whole mess of vocals that really help to lift what might otherwise be quite a mundane track. If this was the track I had to review I would have said that I liked it greatly for the effort of trying to do soemthing different and would have given it a positive rating.

However, Long Time, with Simon Williams IS the track to review and I am so, so, so glad it is. Not that Monk's original is bad, it's not and I would have rated it recommended in it's own right, but this version is something else entirely. A much more stereophonic picture automatically raises for the bar for this song, as does the enhanced production done on those vocals bringing them to the very forefront of this staggeringly effective track. Certainly the best thing I have ever heard from this artist, Long Time is a great song, incredibly well vocally choreographed, that carries a massive charge - although you may have to listen a few times to really appreciate how effective it is. Excellent stuff by both musicians but - just for the record - I'd still like to know what did what and where...

Highly Recommended.