| Track | Album |
|---|---|
| This Is It | Lo Moon |
| Loveless | Lo Moon |
| Tried To Make You My Own | Lo Moon |
| Real Love | Lo Moon |
| Carried Away | A Modern Life |
| Dream Never Dies | A Modern Life |
| Borrowed Hills | I Wish You Way More Than Luck |
| Waiting A Lifetime | I Wish You Way More Than Luck |
| Connecticut | I Wish You Way More Than Luck |
| Evidence | I Wish You Way More Than Luck |
Promo photo by Cara Robbins.
The LA based American alt rock band Lo Moon first came to my attention at Brighton’s new music festival, The Great Escape, about 10 years ago. I saw them by chance thinking I liked the name but not having heard a note of their music.
To say I was blown away was an understatement and I became an instant fan. If you liked, or like, Talk Talk or a host of other 80s bands then you will love Lo Moon.
The 3-piece (drummer Sterling Laws departed before last year’s tour) are Matt Lowell on guitar and vocals, Crisanta Baker on bass and keys, Sam Stewart (David and Siobhan’s son) on guitar. The band has so far released three fantastic albums: Lo Moon (2018), A Modern Life (2022), I Wish You Way More Than Luck (2024). Album number 4 is currently being recorded.
I’ve seen them live multiple times since the gig in Brighton, even went to see them in Berlin when they supported The War On Drugs (but Lo Moon was the reason I went to the gig) and they never disappoint. A brilliant band live, and on record, take a listen if you haven’t heard them before. They really are that good.
Lo Moon
“The debut album burns with a soft glow, like the embers of a flame on the precipice of dying out. It’s awash in cool, electronic beats and refreshing waves of synth, but its heart – rooted unflinchingly in rock – refuses to be suffocated, letting a single flame slip through the cracks every few minutes to remind us that there’s an earthy substance beneath all of its elaborate posturing. Rolling drums and clashing guitars result in the most satisfying of crescendos, often sandwiched between addicting hooks and mesmerizing harmonies.” Sputnik Music
“This is a daring and complex debut album scored through with emotional tumult and a nuanced understanding of the groups that have inspired them … A towering debut.” DIY magazine
A Modern Life
“They have moved away from Columbia and now sound even freer. They have been excellent at writing memorable hooks and (this) continues that trend. The first two songs, Carried Away and their most popular single from this album Dream Never Dies embodies that with the airy melodies beyond Lowell’s voice. They embrace teenage nostalgia and the weight of what a teenager can feel on Expectations. Lo Moon is free and putting out the music that fits them the best. The group avoids the dreaded sophomore slump, despite the circumstances surrounding the business side of this.” Magnetic magazine
“This is a record of memory and nostalgia, of lost dreams and disappointed expectations. Hell, there’s literally a song called Expectations about growing up and failing to achieve the goals that you set for yourself. Self-hate flickers on the edges here, and the proverbial ball of melancholy continues to roll downhill into apathy, tears, and depression. But that isn’t the end. The irony in all of this is that the album is quite beautiful in its pruned state. Just like a tree needs clipped once in a while, sometimes a band needs to give their sound a trim in order for the strongest parts to grow and flourish. You won’t hear an overage of production tricks or layers of plastic tones here. No, this album is an authentic experience, and the band knows it well. They also know that they can’t leave us in the depths of darkness, and I feel like the album ends on a hopeful note, one of self-orientation and courage.” The Prog Mind
I Wish You Way More Than Luck
“Arguably, this is the bands’ most accomplished album yet. Ambitious in colour and detail, it demonstrates the sonic leaps and bounds the collective have made ever since their inception.” When The Horn Blows
“It is an adventurous 41-minute journey through 10 solid tracks, which wonderfully starts with Borrowed Hills, whose first minute is so dreamy, a brief introduction to what I could label as exquisite art pop/rock in the vein of 80s Peter Gabriel. I love how emotional Lo Moon can be, not only by the lyrics or vocals, but also by the sound of keyboards, strings and drums.” The Rocktologist
Los Angeles Times interview (2017)
The Big Takeover interview (2024)
Richard Warran lives in Haywards Heath, famed for being a rather dull but close to Brighton and London commuter town. He has a passion for music and travel sometimes combining the two and can often be found at gigs in the above two cities.
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