There has been a lot of debate lately regarding desert/stoner rock and its reliance on 70's hard and classic rock as a main influence with many complaining that its just recycling the same old riffs for a new generation. Desert Psychlist's take on this is that if something rocks it rocks and it doesn't really matter if its roots are sucking up nutrients from the past or its sending out probes into the future, music is all about enjoyment, if your not enjoying something just turn the damn thing off.
Desert Psychlist guesses those complainers will have a field day with London ,UK quartet The Lunar Effect and their latest release "Calm Before The Calm" (Kozmik Artifactz) as the band, Josh Gosling (vocals), Jon Jefford (guitar), Brett Halsey (bass) and Dan Jefford (drums), make no bones about their 70's influences wearing them as a badge of honour for all to see, sprinkling their hard rock refrains and desert grooves with a little bluesy psychedelic faery dust and grungy/alt.rock aesthetics to give them added interest.
Things begin well for "Calm Before The Calm" with The Lunar Effect kicking things off with "Woman", a lysergic laced slow bluesy torch song that boasts a truly stunning vocal, the frontman's tones sitting somewhere between those of Rival Sons Jay Buchanan and The Parlor Mob's Mark Melicia, a powerful soulful bluesy holler with a touch of grungy swagger that sits perfectly atop the scintilating psychedelic blues grooves beneath it. Now beginning a review with the words "things begin well" might lead you to thinking events are now going to take a rapid downward curve, far from it, by the time you have travelled through the Wolfmother-ish "Stare At The Sun", marvelled at the Doors meets Zeppelin vibes of "Daughter of Mara" and "Deep Blue Sky" and finally arrived breathless at the alternative moody blues of title track "Calm Before The Calm" you soon come to the realisation that this is not only a band who can talk the talk, in regards to hard rock authenticity, they can walk the walk just as convincingly.
The Lunar Effect should not be dismissed as some sort of backward looking, retro chasing groovsters but as a band who, although wearing their classic/hard rock influences on their sleeves, are pushing blues orientated rock music into new and uncharted waters.
Check 'em out ….
© 2019 Frazer Jones
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