Half Moon Run - Sun Leads Me On


Indie Rock just doesn't begin to describe this band's sound.  Comparisons to other artists from Band of Horses to Radiohead are relevant in part, but again don't paint the full picture.  I discovered their first album, Dark Eyes (2012), on bandcamp last year and fell immediately in love with them. Phenomenal musicianship, mellifluous vocals, tempos that vary from strident urgency to placid calm.  Sun Leads Me On is different every time I listen to it. My favorite songs change, my takeaways vary, I get a new appreciation for the depth of the music.




Sun Leads Me On starts with Warmest Regards, a simple ballad with a bit of a theatrical flair.  You might get the impression you had just bought a 70s folk rock record.  I Can't Figure Out What's Going On brings us back to a more modern sound.  This one features some nice bass and lead guitar work in a traditional rock sound.  Consider Yourself gives us a futuristic, synthetic counterpoint and in three songs we have traveled through the eras, jumped genres, and demonstrated a band that can assume all shapes and sizes seamlessly.  There are 10 more songs to go... 10 opportunities to showcase the diversity of styles and instrumentation that Half Moon Run execute so flawlessly.

Hands In The Garden is almost hymnal in it's chorus  Maybe the most pleasing song on the record.  Turn You Love belongs on pop radio, if radio stations played cool music anymore.  Narrow Margins and Sun Leads Me On return to a more traditional rock concept.  It Works Itself Out invokes progressive imagery with high tension and has of my favorite lyrics, followed by Everybody Wants which is also a lyrical highlight with a pleading, spiritual, languid, ambient, folk vibe.  Throes is a quiet, peaceful instrumental.  Devil May Care is a campfire tune complete with harmonica.  The Debt is beautiful and inspiring, sounds a bit Sigur Rós-ish.  Trust may close out the album as the most obvious single, but it leaves you on a high and feeling desperate for more - so flip the album, drop the needle and start spinning Sun Leads Me On again!

Members:
Devon Portielje - lead vocals, guitar and percussion
Conner Molander - vocals, guitar and keyboard
Dylan Phillips - vocals, drums and keyboard
Isaac Symonds -  vocals, percussions, mandolin, keyboard and guitar.



Tracklist:

  1. Warmest Regards
  2. I Can't Figure Out What's Going On
  3. Consider Yourself
  4. Hands In The Garden
  5. Turn Your Love
  6. Narrow Margins
  7. Sun Leads Me On
  8. It Works Itself Out
  9. Everybody Wants
  10. Throes
  11. Devil May Care
  12. The Debt
  13. Trust
An excellent vinyl package; textured high grade paper outer sleeve with photographic images that manage to capture the traditional as well as the darker edges of the bands sound, inner gatefold with band photos bringing you a sense of connection, a nice inner sleeve with credits (but no lyrics) and 180 gram black vinyl.  

And make sure you get the first album, Dark Eyes, as well - it is just as awesome!


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