Half Moon Run – Sun Leads Me On (Glassnote Records; 2015)
Half Moon Run’s sophomore album Sun Leads Me On shows what the Montreal-based band is truly capable of. The sound is much fuller than their debut album, Dark Eyes, exploring various psychedelic influences such as The Beatles, Janis Joplin and Jefferson Airplane, with a dash of synthpop for good measure. The album significantly diverges from their debut album, aiming for more audacious, fulfilling and mature heights. Rather than stick to their original niche, the band have chosen to grow sonically, as though Half Moon Run is far bigger than just four young men. Fans of the band’s work will find an infinitely more rewarding album in Sun Leads Me On; what it lacks in general originality it more than makes up for in character and consistency.
Trial Track: “I Can’t Figure Out What’s Going On”
7/10
