Wooden Shjips’ guitarist Ripley Johnson, returned to his Moon Duo side project with long term cohort Sanae Yamada in March to release Moon Duo's 3rd album ‘Shadow Of The Sun’. Here's what we made of it.
Their previous album, ‘Circles’, was a master class in fuzzy guitars and compelling krautrock and on 'Shadow Of The Sun', not much has changed. What is new though, are the array of guitar solos which effortlessly bleed into this set of tracks.
Despite the other-worldliness of the album, large chunks have a formula of krautrock hooks as a base before Johnson sprinkles his guitar magic over everything.
The opening tracks ‘Wilding’ and ’Night Beat’ are fine exponents of this. Yannae’s organ playing on ‘Wilding’ is hypnotic and has a Thee Oh Sees style aggression. There are parallels with the Doors’ ‘LA Woman’ here, that is, until Johnson’s guitar solos come sauntering in to blow you away. Unlike Johnson’s previous efforts, these solos are far terser and bring Modern Loves at their best to mind.
‘Night Beat’ should be viewed less as a song and more a test of humanity. If your feet or fingers are not tapping to this then your soul has long since departed sadly. This is arguably the best groove they have created with the Horrors-esque keys and the bugged out production. Once more, Johnson comes in mid-way with sun drenched guitars but, this time, they lean towards the escapist ilk of Noel Gallagher rather than his psyche standard.
‘Night Beat’ should be viewed less as a song and more a test of humanity. If your feet or fingers are not tapping to this then your soul has long since departed sadly. This is arguably the best groove they have created with the Horrors-esque keys and the bugged out production. Once more, Johnson comes in mid-way with sun drenched guitars but, this time, they lean towards the escapist ilk of Noel Gallagher rather than his psyche standard.
However, this formula doesn't always serve them well. ‘Zero’, despite having a great Horrors like hook, this track ventures towards Sonic Youth but doesn't ever dish up their ferocity.
‘In A Cloud’ however, is a gear change that excels. Far slower than the anything else on the album, it meanders along without a care in the world. The rich guitars and dual vocals deliver a dreamlike state that’s so vivid, when it finishes, you will question whether it just happened.
The final two tracks also change the pace of the album. ‘Animal’, by a distance is the albums’ most immediate. On this occasion they channel The Horrors and Sonic Youth to perfection with desolate keys and a destructive baseline.
Bonus track ‘Cross The Way’ combines a great keyboard loop with the higher tempo and for the first time on the album, witnesses Johnson interject he’s guitar wizardry and maintain the new found momentum.
For the most part, ‘Shadow Of The Sun’ is business as usual for Moon Duo. Yet, when the pace is bolstered on the final two tracks, the album is opened up to new dimensions, dimensions which, TT hopes they continue to explore.
Ripley and Sanae are currently on tour and are not to be missed. Check the dates here:
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