Yon Mon’s album starts with an almost classical piano, a surprising start but Better Days draws you in instantly and its message is clear. Power and Corruption makes the world go round. It paints a picture of what it’s like to live in the world today and how towns and cities are becoming ghost towns, the rasping vocals added by Madchester legend MC Tunes smashes the message home.
Welcome to the world of Yon Mon, the nom de plume of former Shed Project main man Roy Fletcher. He’s gone solo and he’s calling the shots, shining a light on the grim and grave situation of a post COVID world.
But let’s not suggest this is a depressing miserable album, it’s far from it. Track two Shine On flies out of the blocks and is as catchy and life affirming as anything Roy has written. Sitting alongside the great My Life as a modern indie anthem.
Selfie Queen featuring MC Tunes again is a chance for Yon Mon to strap on his punk bondage trousers and go all Johnny Rotten, a track detailing the ridiculous social media attention grabbing idiots that blight our lives. It ends with arguably the best recorded Fuck Off ever, courtesy of Mr Tunes. It’s brilliant.
Now you may think that Yon Mon is just about having a good time and getting smashed but no. Proving he is a sweet and tender hooligan with a wonderful song for his wife, Each Day is a love song mixing the best of The Cure’s love songs with a Shaun Ryder vibe. Yon’s no hooligan by the way.
Picture This is another cracking previous single that works so well within the album and ends side 1 on a massive high.
Side Two kicks off with the heavy and surprisingly metal Warmongers, seeing Yon cut loose of that Indie sound and coming across more like a Linkin Park or other heavy modern rock artists. It has a real message again about countries obsession with war and pushing us towards the end of the world. A superb guitar plays throughout and is arguably Yon’s best song.
Bygone Times is not a song about the once popular high Street shop but a poptastic jangle fest stepping back to yesterday’s world and the great times we had. Ray Davies writes songs like this and they call him a genius.
The Love Book is sadly not about Roy’s 1990’s little black book for booty calls, but again it covers the joy in good times past and the memories that we make and should treasure.
Can’t See Me is the closest Yon gets to a tribute to one of his heroes Ian Brown, a fantastic psychedelic guitar plays over the track with Yon Mon begging you not to do as I say or do. It’s very hypnotic as the chorus repeats and I guarantee Mr Brown would approve.
The album ends with a final call to live life as much as you can as you don’t know what’s around the corner. One Life Live It is the spiritual twin to the Shed Project’s One Shot. it’s a fitting ending to a quite wonderful and surprising debut solo album.
As I listened to the album I was struck how Yon (Roy) has pushed his sound away from that indie jangle sound, there’s piano, keyboards, heavy metal guitars and heavy beats mixed in with some brilliant bangers and strong songwriting. The production is superb as well and all musicians involved have excelled at adding to the overall sound, bringing Yon’s message to life.
Yon writes as he sees it, never afraid to speak up and call out those in power that abuse their positions, someone that cares deeply about those around him and how society is crumbling due to that abuse of power.
Thinking of any contemporaries that cover these types of issues is not an easy thing but the likes of The Specials, Weller, Ian Dury, The Streets and even Eminem have a good go at it and it never did them any harm.
Thus my message to Yon Mon is simple, keep the faith and keep on keeping on because we need you more than ever.
You Bedda Believe It, is available on all streaming sites but treat yourself and buy the excellent sounding vinyl here:
Yon Mon – You Bedda Believe It (1LP Numbered + Signed)
Let me know your thoughts.
PNL
Michael
The Rebirth Of Cool 