The Sound of Monday “Hey, Inconsiderate!”

About The Sound of Monday and “Hey, Inconsiderate!”

Rock musicians aren’t exactly known for their consideration. A little effrontery is often a good policy for those looking to shake the world with their sound. But there comes the point where obnoxious behavior is simply too much for anybody to bear, no matter how badass the offender might seem — and in New York City, we’ve gone well past that point. On most days, Dave Jay Gerstein of New York power pop group The Sound Of Monday is as recalcitrant as anybody else fronting a catchy, wordy, barbed, wonderfully acerbic band. He’s been pushed too far by his irritating neighbors, though, and in response, he’s done what good rockers do: he’s written a song about it.

On “Hey, Inconsiderate!,” he’s kicking back at everybody who has allowed these trying times to provide a cover for their anti-social behavior. The Sound Of Monday has a message for all the space-stealers, road hogs, too-loud talkers, egotistical interrupters, and bad vibe merchants: it’s time to cut it out. Since he’s a nice guy as well as a winning songwriter, he isn’t *too* mean about it; since he’s a master of melody, he welds his sentiment to a track that’s as propulsive as the Attractions, as stylish as early ’80s Bowie, and as unforgettable as The Beach Boys. That’s his strategy, and it’s a very good one — he’ll use his command over catchiness to get the hook stuck in the heads of miscreants and prompt them to reconsider. Or maybe they’ll just sing along? – either way, he’s got an indie hit on his hands. It’s something irreducible, irascible, and unforgettable; it’s a statement of purpose from a dedicated rocker who’s been in the game too long to suffer fools. 

About the video

The most alarming thing about Evan Seplow’s cheeky, colorful, and frequently hilarious clip to “Hey, Inconsiderate!” is how normal it all seems. The everyday indignities that Dave Jay Gerstein must suffer as he roams around Manhattan will be familiar to anybody who has spent an afternoon in the city. He’s confronted with selfish behavior from his fellow subway riders, careless obstruction from pedestrians on the sidewalk, and even some unpleasant behavior from a wayward pooch. It’s all enough to make you feel for him and sympathize with his misanthropy — until he gets home at the end of the clip and finds out how easily those tables can turn.