This feeling of time slipping away is the prevailing theme on Mondo Drag's new album, Through the Hourglass. "For me, Through the Hourglass really encompasses the quarantine/pandemic years," Gamiño says. "But in a way that includes a couple of years before that for us, because the band was stagnant during that time. Living with that was really impactful on our daily lives. So, the album is reflective. It's looking at time-past, present, future."
Luckily, Mondo Drag emerged from this dour period reborn. Freshly energized by bassist Conor Riley (formerly of San Diego psych squad Astra, currently of Birth), who joined in 2018, and drummer Jimmy Perez, who joined in 2022, Gamiño and guitarists Jake Sheley and Nolan Girard have triumphed over the seemingly inexorable pull of time's passage.
The result is a dazzling and often plaintive rumination on the hours, days, and year not to mention experiences that comprise a lifetime. Two-part opener "Burning Daylight? smolders with melancholy, offering a whirl of multi-colored and hallucinatory imagery. "It's about the California wildfires and a feeling of helplessness,? Gamiño explains. "There's a juxtaposition between the dark lyricism and upbeat music which is meant to imply a sort of delusional state?and choosing our own delusion to overcome the crushing despair of reality.?
Mondo Drag fans might be surprised by this blend of hard reality with literary surrealism, but it's a perfect example of how the last several years have impacted Mondo Drag?and Gamiño in particular. "On all of our previous albums, the lyrical content is more psychedelic and out there,? he acknowledges. "This is the most personal stuff I've ever done, so I'm definitely feeling vulnerable on this one." (Text: Presseinfo)
