I must confess I had never heard of The Moss before hearing their new album ‘Big Blue Moon’ – but these indie rockers have over 75 million streams, countless festival appearances, and a headline tour of the US currently underway. So there.
Regarding the origin of the band’s name, singer Tyke James explains: “Moss grows on every continent. It’s neither commonly noticed nor loved, but it’s everywhere, it’s ubiquitous. All the things you’ve heard about moss apply to us.”
Big Blue Moon is the band’s first complete project in years and celebrates freedom, self-confidence and living life by one’s own rules. Tyke writes that he feels like a totally different person from the last time The Moss released an album, and despite being something of a nomadic individual, this rolling stone is currently based in Salt Lake City.
Now we’ve got the introductions out of the way, let’s get down to listening to the album!
‘Big Blue Moon’ – Things start with a sparse production but a huge sound. Tyke’s slightly distorted vocal is front and centre and hits the ground running, infusing the track with an irresistible energy. Before we start to settle, reggae-flavoured sections add fresh variations. It’s a bold, flamboyant start.
‘Devil’s Lettuce’ – This gets my award for the best title of the album (lol). The warm bounce and the mellotron-type chords have an almost Beatles-psychedelic feel. There’s a much more restrained vocal from Tyke and a melody that feels somewhat contemplative, with a slow build to the end that has some wild, otherworldly sounds.
‘I Like It’ – Subtle studio chatter at the start continues the spontaneous, fly-on-the-wall feel of this album. It’s a wonderfully loose, tube-driven sound, and the Dylan-esque cadence (together with the strings) add some extra dimensions too.
“Sound check, checklist. Restless, but I can’t sleep.
Hungry, but I can’t eat. Focused after three drinks”
‘Galleria’ – There’s a gentle buzz ever-present in this track that is a great example of the tactile, gritty approach of Big Blue Moon. It’s like the amps, the valves, and the cabinets are all members of the band – part of the ensemble. I found the dark, delicate atmosphere quite intoxicating, and as the track played out, I could almost sense the band around me – lights dimmed, cables snaking across the ground.
“If I dig a hole, could I bury you?
What’s left of you, could I bury you alive?”
‘Canyon’ – Exactly halfway through the album, we get a one-minute instrumental interlude. A meandering guitar is joined by a tight little groove that has a crunch and distortion that buzzes with excited electricity.
‘How You Love’ – Things get turned up to 11 as we enter the back-straight of the album. Rhythms crash, organs bubble and layers of vocals spill from the speakers. It’s a heady mix that will get your head bobbing. There are so many twists and turns – every bar seems to present a brand new idea. Not for the first time, some of the sounds are hard to pin down – but this creates a beautifully intense, honest sound that I loved.
‘Source’ – The simple, workmanlike sound jumped out at me here – it’s a little raw, a little funky – and full of personality. The effortless vocal melody is a silken thread that weaves through the track, and the final third gives way to a stripped-back funk-jam workout.
‘Passport’ – Simple and bluesy, I was transported beside the fire with the night drawing in and the stories starting to flow. I loved the subtle atmospherics. The guitars squeak, and the delicate harmonies send this one into the stratosphere – and what a beautiful ending!
“Feels like everybody’s watching me drown
When things got hard, they let me down
I don’t feel inspired by the fact that I can swim well
I only want a hand to hold”
‘Your Way’ – The lead single from the album (and one of the most stripped back tracks) closes Big Blue Moon. A disco-tinged beat with Latin-esque acoustic guitar and percussion. It’s a final, sultry curve ball that works brilliantly, and combined with the repeating lyrical refrain “There ain’t no way I’m gonna get stuck in that way / Ain’t no way I’m gonna live my life that way”, it tells you all you need to know about this album.
Big Blue Moon is a well-oiled machine of an album. Just 9 tracks, all comfortably clocking in under 4 minutes. This is the band’s first full album in 5 years and shows real development in their sound. There’s more grit, more groove, more experimentation. Time and again, the band find subtle ways to combine dissonant elements, creating glorious fusions with each new track.
Everything is bigger and more intense, but it still manages to feel intimate and focused – it’s a sound that is (thankfully) not over-produced, but delightfully gnarly in all the right places. This is more than just a record – it feels like something that is happening in the room with you—a rootsy, genre-hopping blend of influences that bridges the decades and is full of swagger and soul.
You can find tickets to The Moss on tour here: themossband.com/shows
Written by Grubby
