Everybody Knows the Monkey
The Saints · 1998
45 min · 12 tracks · punk rock
A gritty blend of punk energy and sardonic wit, reflecting the band's irreverent spirit and social commentary.
Top tracks — play these first
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What Do You Want — Opening with a driving beat and immediate catchiness, this track encapsulates the album's punk ethos while posing existential questions about desire and purpose.
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Fall of an Empire — This track stands out with its historical references blended into personal narratives, highlighting the band's knack for merging socio-political commentary with engaging melodies.
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Everything Turns Sour — With its darker tones and introspective lyrics, this song captures a sense of disillusionment that resonates throughout the album, showcasing The Saints' depth beyond typical punk themes.
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Vaguely Jesus — The provocative title and clever wordplay exemplify the band’s tendency to challenge societal norms, making it a memorable highlight on the record.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong lyrical content and varied tempos, reflecting The Saints' punk roots while navigating their revitalization phase.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a fast-paced track that sets a high energy level, which is maintained through the first half before slowing down in the latter part.
- Lyrically, the songs often employ irony and social commentary, with recurring themes of disillusionment and critique of modern life.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- sardonic wit with sharp commentary
- punchy tracks for quick listens
- gritty energy for rebellious spirits
- for late-night drives
Maybe skip if you
- prefer polished, smooth sounds
- seek slow, introspective moments
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 1998, Everybody Knows the Monkey was The Saints' seventh studio album, following their 1996 release How to Make Gravy. By this point, the band was navigating a revitalization phase after several lineup changes and a long hiatus from mainstream attention, reasserting their influence in the punk rock scene.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Damned· The Stooges· X-Ray Spex
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 What Do You Want 2:56
- 2 Easy Money 3:09
- 3 Working Overtime 4:11
- 4 Fall of an Empire 4:27
- 5 Mustard 3:16
- 6 Vaguely Jesus 3:17
- 7 What Are You Waiting For 3:28
- 8 Everything Turns Sour 4:13
- 9 Playboy of the Western World 3:12
- 10 Come Back and Visit 4:13
- 11 S+M+M's 2:52
- 12 Glorious Wonder 5:42
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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