The New Jersey based folk-rock band The Commons have recently released their fourth full-length studio album American Ghost. Their country-folk/bluesy sound is rich and full textured and their ironic wit sometimes makes it hard to not laugh while you cry as they paint a stirring, frequently disturbing picture of life in the American dream. Each song on American Ghost is a story all its own and all you need to know about the subject matter is in the song titles, i.e. “Gas Huffin’ Housewife”, “Fast Food Parking Lot” and “Beat Up Car”.

Frontman and primary songwriter Keith Monacchio is an intelligent, sensitive, intense man who feels strongly about his subject matter and passionately about his band. This ardent thoughtfulness is part of the reason American Ghost is receiving as much attention as it is in the media and with critics alike. It has recently been nominated for three Asbury Music Awards including Song of the Year (“Hey Josephine”) and Top Male Vocalist for Monacchio. While in a celebratory mood, Monacchio gave me some of his time to answer a few questions for Band of the Week.

How did The Commons get together?

In 1999 I had just written a bunch of new songs. I didn't have a band at the time, and was just doing the solo thing. I was really looking for some different type players. A songwriters drummer, a guitarist who would be willing to add colour and layers and not have to shred all the time, and a steady bass player who would find the pocket and stay there. I feel really lucky to have found Tom Kale, Sean Glonek, and Tom McDonald. They played on my solo album and since that went so well, we just decided to name the band and keep it going as a steady thing. Four records later, and we're still here. Funny how things work out.

Tell me about your new album, American Ghost.

This is the record I think we've been trying to make since we started. It has the best of what we do. A little bit of everything, some rock, country, blues, pop. I think when you've been together a long time, you really start to realize what your strong points are and what your limitations are. When you get to that place as a band, it's very liberating.

People have been calling these songs ten mini-movies. It's a character driven record. Lyrically, I tried to create characters that were as real as possible. I look at most of them as both tragic and heroic. The music that accompanies these stories was a total group effort. You see, I only know like ten chords, that is why I surround myself with great players. I'd bring in my little songs and Sean, Tom, and Kale would create the sonic setting. Breaking the songs down and building them up again. They really fed off of the lyrics to create the musical backdrop to the characters and their stories. Our motto for this record was “whatever is best for the song”.