Tag Archives: Post Punk

THE SOFT MOON: Criminal

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Sometimes the term ‘genius’ is thrown about far too much, but sometimes it is needed. Sometimes it is the only word to use. It’s a word that undoubtedly fits Luis Vasquez aka The Soft Moon. With his record, Criminal out today via the equally brilliant Sacred Bones Records, I think it is pretty safe and accurate to say that Luis is a genius.

It’s probably been said but Criminal is his best work. As someone who has been a fan of The Soft Moon since the very start and holds some sentimental value to previous records- Criminal has taken over. It is truly one of the most powerful and magical records I’ll hear all year, that I am sure of. I love how every song feels like white noise taking over your brain and how his words eat at you. There is something so brutal and delicate about this record that holds your attention hours after you have listened to it. It stays with you and leaves an impact you have been craving for so long.

Something I really admire about Luis’ delivery of lyrics is that for the most part, they are unclear but the tone in his voice gives away just how urgent the meaning is. He has this way of just getting to the root of it all with the way he sings these words rather than what he is saying. His voice is the rumble of a thunderstorm and the music is the lightning bolt crashing down.

Criminal has really shown the strength in his ability to make music that can hit you right in the gut. It is such a perfect record, and it seems totally right that it has been released on Sacred Bones. The style of this record has the same wave of horror pouring through it like Pop.1280 which is something I absolutely adore. Pop.1280 make straight up sinister music that could scare anyone. It’s got this attractive evil and eerie sound that you cannot tear yourself from. The Soft Moon has a sound that does evoke some horror and terror, but it also carries this fragility to it. You know that these songs have come from a delicate, raw and very honest place- and I think that’s what makes it such a beautiful record. I love the aggression and vulnerability in Born Into This, and right now I think it’s my favourite but I’ll change my mind soon enough. Records like this aren’t made for you to favour one song over the rest. It is made for you to cherish each and every song in a way that is personal to you.

On this record there is definitely a shift in sound and style, and I think any band or singer that does this is to be respected. There is nothing worse than a band/singer making the same record over and over again, and not even attempting to experiment. I don’t get it at all. The best thing, as a music fan, is when a band you love just changing with each record. The bands I write about, the bands I go see at shows, the bands I love- they all do this. They all make records that sound different but keeping something similar in a way that lets you know that it is them.

I’m sure it’ll be picked up on but Criminal reminds me of the first Nine Inch Nails record mixed with Cold Cave. So basically, it is the perfect record. It’s got everything you need to comfort you and to keep you going. I reckon it is one of those records that will be talked about in years and years to come. It has something about it that you cannot love, and as a HUGE fan of The Soft Moon, it just makes you so proud of him and all he has done so far, and especially on this record. There is something here that cannot ever be replicated nor can it go unheard. It’s one of those records that when you hear it, you’ll want to turn everyone on to it. It is an absolute pleasure and joy to listen to.

It is made of moments that allow you to just be. Be whatever the hell you want, and the best song to do this to is Give Something. Everything about this song just resonates with you.

Criminal is just a fantastic record from start to finish. It’s a record that you’ll carry with you for a long time, and in some respects it may become your shield and saviour.

OH,THE GUILT.

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Sometimes you hear something by a band, and you immediately want to go to the place where it was created in order to feel the music on a different level and to understands what it was born from. Bristol is home to several bands I’m obsessed with (Spectres, Candy Darling and 2:54 are originally from there also.) These 3 bands in their own right create creepy music and have a handful of songs that could terrify the meek. Bristol has always in some respects been ahead of bands in other places. The eerie sound comes naturally, and as someone who seems to only really fall for music like this- Oh,The Guilt are ideal.

Oh, The Guilt are described as “Post-Punk.” I’ve never been sure of what that means, where it came from or why it exists, but in this instance I’ll go with it. Much against my hatred of labeling things. I can forgo it here. Oh, The Guilt have a real heavy and somber feel to their music and that’s probably why I instantly loved their sound. The guitar sounds like something Rowland S Howard would be proud of. There’s something quite menacing about their music, and I hope (and believe) it comes across in their live shows. I’ve yet to see them, but if anyone wants to pay for my train fare to Bristol next month so I can see them and Candy Darling then, I’d be really grateful and I’ll make you pizza. Desire to see this band live aside, on record they sound like a band that have been around for ages. When a band can have such a perfected sound instantly, it makes you believe in them more than most. Besides, any band that supports Chelsea Wolfe is going to be nothing short of great anyway.

I like music that isn’t afraid to test the listener and to take them out of their comfort zone. There’s nothing worse than listening to something that makes you feel totally safe. I want to hear something that will probably give me nightmares and make me question everything around me. That’s what is part of the charm with Oh,the Guilt. They don’t make you feel reassured or that you aren’t being chased round a desolate building. I always go back to it, but if something can make me feel like the Seventeen Seconds record by The Cure then I know I’ve found something I’m going to love for a long, long time. Oh, The Guilt have that hypnotic and chilling sound that would make anyone want to start their own band. It’s a grand sound without being overpowering. The drums remind me of the heaviness of Sleep and the first 2:54 record. It’s full of doom and I love it. This is the kind of music you listen to when it is cold, grey and murky outside. This won’t make you feel like the summer is here, far from it. This is what you blast through your headphones and imagine yourself in some frightening forest as someone chases you around the towering trees and as branches claim parts of your clothing, you’re unsure if you are going to get out. It’s all in your mind, so that one is all on you.

I could quite happily write thousands of words about this wonderful 3-piece, but I’ll save it for when their EP comes out on 19th March.

You can pre-order it here: https://ohtheguilt.bandcamp.com/track/watch-yrself-2 and you will receive the decadent and wonderful Watch Yrself straight away. If you’re lucky enough to live in Bristol, they are doing an EP launch show on the same date with Candy Darling  and The Plainviews playing also at The Stag And Hounds. Tickets are only £5.50.