Amid a plethora of technical and complicated albums, sometimes I just need an enriching and melodious record to break through the ice. Moon Halo is back with their third album, Trichotomy, releasing on May 2nd. It is the best album they’ve created yet.
Moon Halo is made up of members of Mostly Autumn and Riversea. The lineup includes Marc Atkinson on vocals, Iain Jennings on keys and programming, David Clements on bass, keys, guitars, and backing vocals, Alex Cromarty on drums, and Martin Ledger on guitar. This time, I feel they’ve achieved a fantastic balance across the board.
The band plays a groovy, melodic rock that oftentimes crosses into the progressive rock realm. Not always, though. This album feels, at times, like a singer/songwriter affair, and other times it feels like a prog rock album with all its twists and turns. It feels homey and wholesome with a slight taste of darkness on the side.
After listening to this album, three things stand out for me. First, Marc’s voice is terrific, as always, and I love the way he emotes in this almost innocent sort of fashion. Second, Iain’s keys are absolutely wonderful, providing infectious melodies on almost every track, which is a real powerhouse for this album; I particularly love his piano melodies and synth solos. Third, Martin’s guitars might be the unsung hero here, as he launches into several perfectly phrased and delightfully immersive solos at just the right times. This album was written and performed by people who know the art of the song backwards and forwards, that much is clear.
The album has a dozen songs and lasts about 67 minutes, so it’s quite lengthy. However, each and every song seems lovingly curated and refined. If I had to choose a favorite half, it’d be the second half, but that could change. My favorites in the first half are “Siren Song”, a terrific opener with a compelling piano melody and warm feelings; “Empires Burning”, one of the darker songs with some heavier riffs and a foreboding shadow about it; “The Things I’ve Done”, a heartfelt and deeply personal song that pulls at your emotional core; and “Are You With Me”, a zippy, groovy song that is so much fun.
The second half is strong. I really like “You, Me & Everybody”, which feels like a Marc solo song with those signature golden and familial emotions. “Worlds Collided” is such an interesting song; while it feels nostalgic and warm, it also contains some heightened orchestral and even tribal sounds that take it to the next level. “Nobody Is Perfect” is something of a ballad, but it is punctuated by soulful guitars and rich piano. I don’t know why, but I loved it immediately. I also love “Truth”, another quick and spirited piece, this time with some delicious synth.
The last two songs encapsulate perfectly the sound of the album. “Back to You” is a melodic, catchy track with an even catchier recurring synth line; it will worm its way into the very center of your brain. However, “The Masterplan” is the longest song on the album. It’s pretty somber, actually, and has layers of guitar work and keyboard atmospherics, and it has some darker segments. The instrumental in the second part is truly mesmerizing, yet, Marc’s voice rises above it all and brings comfort. So, these songs represent both sides of the album, from catchy and rhythmic to serious and complex.
Moon Halo have three albums now, and one can see the coagulation of their talent grow on each release. Marc’s lyrics and vocal melodies have been the core of their sound since the start, but the music around him has gotten more inspired and more memorable. I think prog rock fans should do themselves a favor and check out this record.
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The PROG Mind 