Biography

Having played together since they were teens, sisters Júlia and Maria Reis make hazy noise rock/punk as Pega Monstro. Lisbon, Portugal natives, Júlia Reis plays drums while Maria handles guitar and keyboard, and both sing their melodic, Portuguese-language tunes, heavy with reverb and crash cymbals. Their debut EP, O Juno-60 Nunca Teve Fita, appeared in early 2011 and was followed by a B Fachada-produced self-titled LP on their own Cafetra Records in 2012. After earning a reputation for energetic live shows and support spots for acts including Ariel Pink and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Pega Monstro released their second LP, Alfarroba (Carob), via Upset the Rhythm in the summer of 2015. The same label issued 2017's Casa de Cima, which also returned producer Leonardo Bindilatti. Named after the Sintra Mountains villa where it was recorded, the album took a step in a more reflective direction without abandoning their garagey disposition. ~ Marcy Donelson, Rovi