The Lunar Effect - Sounds Of Green & Blue

2024-04-06 07:00:47

rose with a single album The Lunar Effect new darlings of the British psych, stoner and retro rock scene. “Calm Before The Calm” landed precisely in 2019 with a vintage sound, oppressive riffs, classic bluesy concessions and sprawling space inserts. For the successor, the quartet has signed up with Svart Records, which provides the ideal stage for the guitar-heavy journey through time. „Sounds Of Green & Blue“ tries out fresh facets and at the same time has what it takes to be a big hit.

Songs like the first precursor “Pulling Daisies” testify to the intention to delve more than ever into classic rock realms without completely neglecting the sound of the debut. The oppressive heaviness of this undertaking, the powerful and detached vocals, the majestic riff and the cathartic finale bring in stoner rock qualities, but are also committed to more modern blues interpretations. In the opening “Ocean Queen” the riff-heaviness emerges even more strongly, but also the heart for sweaty heaviness. Not for the last time, Led Zeppelin and therefore to some extent automatically the younger musical development of Greta Van Fleet are the inspiration, mind you in the best sense, while the guitar solo also introduces familiar grunge ideas.

The casual, slightly wicked piano in “Middle Of The End” is surprising. The Lunar Effect didn’t settle in a jazz club, but instead used the piano as an impulse for an oppressive, sweaty power ballad. “On The Story Goes” also carries an incredible amount of intensity, but it escalates skillfully as the playing time progresses and plunges into a massive, wonderfully head-turning finale that actually takes up the entire second half of the song before an astonishingly psychedelic finish follows. But it can also be more compact and direct – see and hear the biting riff monster “Flowers For Teeth”, a real energetic performance.

Whether you expected more classic rock or not, the musical development of the British is exciting. Powerful riffs and thick guitars are still the focus of The Lunar Effect, but are now interpreted and laid out in a pleasantly different way. The almost majestic heaviness of this undertaking meets more blues, 60s and 70s ideas, retains smaller grunge, stoner and psych undertones, and docks in retro-leaning realms in the best sense of the word. The fact that “Sounds Of Green & Blue” manages this change in installments in a highly entertaining way and also produces strong songs absolutely speaks for The Lunar Effect. Something is brewing here.

Rating: 8/10

Available from: April 12, 2024
Available via: Svart Records (Membrane)

Website: www.thelunareffect.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheLunarEffect