Monophonics

The Bay Area's Monophonics contemporize the heavier and more psychedelic sounds of late-'60s and early-'70s soul and rock while also drawing from other facets of R&B and jazz from the same era. Active since the mid-2000s, they debuted with Playin & Simple (2007) and cut a follow-up before they were joined by Kelly Finnigan. The singer/songwriter, arranger/producer, and keyboardist has guided the band through four studio albums into the 2020s. The LPs range from In Your Brain (2012), one of their toughest and funkiest recordings, to Sage Motel (2022), a loosely conceptual set evoking a sincere Blaxploitation soundtrack. A single with Kendra Morris, "Untitled Visions," appeared in 2023.