[rating=7.00]
London-based indie rockers The Big Moon are relatively new on the music scene with Juliette Jackson having formed the band in 2014. After releasing a series of singles and an EP entitled The Road in 2016, the four piece band have been hitting the road in support of their debut album Love In the 4th Dimension. Having already been touted by NME as a band to watch, The Big Moon made an impression at this year’s SXSW after playing a number of unofficial showcases. While much of the album is made up of previously released material via singles and The Road EP, there is a good amount of new material rounding out the album to enjoy.
The album leads with the single “Sucker”, a song with a musical tone aptly matching the melancholy of the lyrics. While the music wavers between the darker minor chord and more upbeat riffs, Jackson sings about a relationship that gets “colder every day” and “darker every night” while wondering “Should we nip this bud/can we give this up?” before admitting “I never thought you would become my greatest friend.” The first single released specifically from the album is the track “Formidable” which starts off sparsely with just vocals and an electric guitar before picking up after a minute with the full force of the band creating a song that is sure to have fans singing along at live shows. “The Road” is another song that The Big Moon have released as the title song of an EP last year. This album iteration doesn’t sound too much different except that it has a much fuller sound and Jackson’s vocals sound a bit more like she is channeling Julian Casablancas. The album’s title track does an effective job of representing the band’s sounds. It jumps from soft to loud throughout while utilizing the enchanting harmonies that permeate throughout entire album.
While The Big Moon aren’t breaking any molds with what they are doing, there is no denying the catchiness and fun of their songs. Almost every song on the album feels like it could incite a sing-a-long at a live show. They are definitely a band that sounds like they are extremely comfortable playing with each other and the way that they harmonize on the album makes it sound effortless.
