Half Moon Run's New Album Has A Fiery Prowess

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A huge folk-rock shaped void in our lives has been filled, with the return of Half Moon Run in 2019. Propelling their return, is their brand new album, “A Blemish in The Great Light” and it’s everything we wanted and expected, but more!

This new venture see the boys play with a new sound, while still embodying everything we’ve grown to know and love from Half Moon Run; their folky-rock tunes, filled with balanced harmonies, gentle guitar caresses and smooth melodies. The new album brings a more mature sound, it’s a bit bluesy, a touch sassier, and a little heavier, and it’s absolutely everything.

Each song on the album takes on its own stylistic influences, whilst still sticking to the iconic Half Moon Run sound we’ve grown used to. The band have built upon their existing holy grail recipe of stunning harmonies, mellow guitar arrangements, and a slow-burn indie-rock sound, by experimenting with heavy and groovier sounds, adding an elevating prowess. From the bluesy single “Flesh and Blood”, to the upbeat track, “Favourite Boy”, the country-infused "Black Diamond" or the chilling piano interlude "Undercurrent”, Half Moon Run really experimented and progressed their sound with this album, and the payoff is indescribable.

“A Blemish In The Great Light’s conception came from a state of tedium, and a lingering feeling of ennui, which was combated with the concept of ‘retrouvailles’. A french word, simply meaning reunion, the term refers to the intrinsic happiness at rediscovering something or someone after a very long time.

Half Moon Run describes that this process was necessary to continue and progress their music,

“(We’re) basically just re-examining everything we know about how to be a band. It’s a little bit like starting over,” says guitarist, Conner Molander. “But there’s something that’s really the same about it. It reminds me of a relationship, people really change and relationships that last are relationships that evolve. The records are like checkpoints, more than autonomous identities of their own. Whatever we’ve gained as individuals is in service of the band, and of the music.”

Ahead of its release, A Blemish In The Great Light was already delighting listeners and receiving raving reviews, "Half Moon Run's new collection seems to pull influence from songwriting greats like Neil Young, Michael Stipe, the Shins and Todd Rundgren in its varied mix of soulful ballads and jangly anthems, uplifting Devon Portielje's unmistakable howl on each of its 10 tracks… It's clear that the band's four-year break and stylistic experimentation have served it well." - CBCMusic Fall Album Preview

With the release of this album, Half Moon Run have more than impressed. The only thing that could possibly sweeten the deal, would be an album tour! Here’s too hoping, till then, we’ll just be listening over and over. 

And over.