Half Moon Run- ‘Sun Leads Me On’

Montreal indie- multi-instrumentalists Half Moon Run known for there incredible harmonies and heavy bass based tracks return for what is clear to be heavily focused around influences, almost making an album on their best impressions of a band, but it doesn’t fail to impress. After their small success of the first LP, ‘Dark Eyes’, grabbing gigs opening for Metric, City and Colour, and Mumford & Sons, and a slot at Glastonbury, Half Moon Run created something special.

An intro to the album brings MGMT ‘Congratulations’ instrumentals that brought influence from The Beatles six years ago. Each track bringing energy the band are known to bring, being well produced to be captured on this record.  ‘ I Can’t Figure Out What’s Going On” a song I feel could have made the track list for Radiohead’s classic ‘In Rainbows, the song grows to singer Devon Portielje breaking into Thom Yorke like screams.  

‘Consider Yourself’ an edgy, dark Muse and Foals like synths, and bass line bring satisfaction to any music fan. The powers of this album are far more complex to put them into words. The ease this album brought to listen to, made the experience one to be lived over multiple times.

‘Hands in The Garden’ my personal favorite on the album, shows how good these guys really are instrumentally and with their level of musical knowledge. The harmonica and guitar match up perfectly and also show how well crafted production was.

The leading single from the album ‘Turn Your Love’, is a well made top 100 radio hit, and the tool from this album for the band to crack into the spotlight. The album does really follow a pattern musically it just sounds basically like whatever the band may have been listening to at the time. R&B and blues also make appearances on this album until finally, the last song ‘Trust’ made to be heard in clubs all around the world.

A mature return for the Montreal rockers, will bring a smile to the fans of the band, and most likely make a lot more fans for the time to come. The quick success well deserved for the extremely talented quartet,  and an album that will open the gates to even more unique sounds in the future.

8/10