ALBUM REVIEW: Moon Duo - Shadow of the Sun (Sacred Bones Records)

Written for Middle Boop Mag: http://www.middleboopmag.com/music/albums/moon-duo-shadow-sun-sacred-bones-records

Moon Duo is the side-project of guitarist Ripley Johnson from the band Wooden Shjips, he is joined by former school teacher Sanae Yamada on vocals and keyboard, both from Portland, Shadow of the Sun being their third LP.

The record is instantaneous, with just the right blend of psychedelic, bleeding guitar work and anolog electronics. Just as the album artwork depicts, it is a journey into their minds through compelling artistry, with many a nod to the past.

Their droning yet poignant vocal style and feverish beats are disarming - with acute sensation delivered in a tangible and infectious mode, especially on tracks ‘Free the Skull’ and ‘Zero’. ‘In a Cloud’ is psych rock precision - honeyed riffs set aside the playful hues of an intertwined male and female vocal, with the gentle background thud of the reverb.

However dream-like and accidental Shadow of the Sun may appear, their knowledge of music is clearly decipherable, each strung out-riff completely stylised and on purpose.

The nine tracks are a weird spell that keeps the listener enchanted, completely engaged and hypnotised without breaking focus. There is nothing sentimental about Moon Duo - their sound is without all of that peace and love narrative which can often come into play in this particular strain of rock, often diluting its wonderful trippy power. Interesting, spacey yet completely controlled, Shadow of the Sun is an instant pleaser.

ALBUM REVIEW: Cheatahs -Cheatahs

Originally published at Gigwise: http://www.gigwise.com/reviews/88577/cheatahs---cheatahs-wichita

Cheetah’s self-titled debut was created in an old, stone-floored cottage in Devon - which is a strange setting to imagine a record like this to have been born in. Their self-titled album sounds as its cover connotes – fiery, decollate, hazy and slightly Americanised – a far cry from the chocolate-box, parochial setting in which it was indeed crafted.

The American sounding grunge hue clearly derives from the drummer and producer of the record, San Diego born Dean Reid. Vocalist and lead guitarist Nathan Hewitt , originally from Canada, and James Wignall (guitar, vocals) from Leister, met whilst working at a bar in Camden. The pair became great friends and eventually in 2010, after years spent messing around in numerous punk and rock bands, decided to form a band of their own. Cheatahs was born.

The four-piece went on to spend a couple of months touring the US with surf rock stoners Wavves and FIDLAR before completing the album, you’ll find many a nod to both bands mentioned on the record, which was finished off in an east London studio when the band returned home.

Cheatahs have managed to come up with an album that sounds so utterly nostalgic and familiar, whilst steering clear of those often copyright infringing tendencies that put other bands like this in the ground before they’ve even taken off. Think Nirvana, Interpol and even Tame Impala – the record is a haze of low-fuzz, moody rock homage, washed out and distorted down to a T with little room for complaint.