THE MOONS
Jennifer (Sits Alone)/It's Too Late
Something about The Moons' previous endeavours hasn't chimed with me. Despite their credentials (friends of Weller, produced by Edwyn Collins) and our shared geographical origins (go Cobblers!), they seemed to have inherited some of Dad-rock's worst habits, becoming unwitting victims of post-Britpop/Weller/Ocean Colour Scene cliqueness and that particular strain of neo-mod everyman popularity that leaves this listener cold.
So it was a genuine relief to hear 'Jennifer (Sits Alone)' announce itself via muted acoustic guitar and Spectoresque drums before embarking on a melodic journey that could have come straight off a mid to late ’60s Cat Stevens or Paul & Barry Ryan 45. Andy Crofts' vocal is refreshingly restrained and understated, so much so in fact that the whole performance threatens to disintegrate at the precise moment you'd expect a hugely bombastic chorus to appear and shatter the mood. The celestial combination of Mellotron and bona fide strings that emerge on the second verse only adds to the welcome sense of déjà vu.
'It's Too Late' is no slouch either, similarly dripping with ’tron-soaked goodness and boasting an intriguingly jumpy chorus that continues to keep me hooked.
A new album is imminent (in fact, I think it just hit my doormat!). I can only hope that it's further proof of The Moons learning to stand on their own 10 feet at last.
Andy Morten
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