The fold-out photo that adorns Wohaw summarizes well the two sides of the USA a Monster. The duo, who’ve separated their name into individual words on this release, are shown seated in front of all of their gear, piled high above head level. Colin Matthews and Tom Hohmann sit shirtless in the forest, holding decidedly more primitive instruments of Native American heritage, seemingly unconcerned with the looming tower of speakers, wires, and drums that rises behind them. The USA is a Monster have always embraced Native American culture, mythology, and history, making it the subject of the majority of their songs, and an inspiration at nearly every turn. Their music, however, has always been a bracingly modern, flexible, and inventive form of the rock ‘n’ roll idiom. After a debut ep and full-length released quietly, the duo’s second album, Tasheyana Compost found them truly hitting their stride. Wohaw is an even more ambitious release, one that bridges the gap between the two sides of the USA is a Monster like its predecessors have not, and one that takes the duo deeper into the woods than ever before.
Wohaw, like the group’s last release, is strongest at its beginning. “Clay People” starts things off right, and tracks like “The Hobokon” and “Poison Plant” follow in suit. As is to be expected, the songs twist and turn enough to induce aural whiplash, as Matthews and Hohmann grapple with rock music until it’s malleable and bends to their will. Matthews’ tricked-out guitar playing is, as usual, impressively executed with great use of effects, and Hohmann is as solid as ever. With “Waterfall,” however, the band takes a new turn as they turn to acoustic guitars and a simpler, folkier approach. This isn’t authentically Native American music, of course, but the shift in sensibilities seems like an appropriate one, given the USA is a Monster’s philosophical and sociological leanings. “George Catlin and the Mandan Chief” is a beautiful story song, and while “Waterfall” and “Poland” may seem rather mundane by the band’s usual standards, neither is without attractive qualities. “Built the Fire” captures the essence of nature’s darker spirits, and “Alligator Allegory” ends the acoustic portion of the album with songwriting more reminiscent of some of Matthews and Hohmann’s electric fare. For the album’s last two tracks, the duo revert back to their former state, and rock out dutifully.
Wohaw takes more chances than any of the USA is a Monster’s previous releases, and while the acoustic material isn’t the album’s strongest, it’s a welcome and suitable addition to the band’s oeuvre. The duo’s politics are, as usual, worn on their sleeves, but, lyrically, Matthews utilizes more frequently the story song form, with tracks like “God is Red” almost hitting a Schoolhouse Rock vibe in the instructional tone of the singing. This aspect of things can be annoying, though it’s not an album breaker by any means. In the end, Wohaw isn’t quite the opus it could be, but it’s still an impressive continuation in the group’s development.
