Ocean Colour Scene were blessed with a great name, a very clever title to their biggest selling album Moseley Shoals a sharp cover and most importantly, for a mod-pop band, Paul Weller’s seal of approval. An as The Moons’ main songwriter it Weller’s keyboard player, the “Paul Weller Approved” sticker is on Life On Earth.

But before all that, the self-released debut single ‘Don’t Go Changin’ got them Eddie Pillars’ attention (he of Acid Jazz, now in its 21st year!) and the follow-up ‘Torn Between Two’ 7” came out late last year (with a rather good cover of the Holland-Dozier-Holland ‘Leaving Here’ on the reverse).

Both ‘Don’t Go Changin’ and ‘Torn Between The Two’ are prime examples of the mod-pop side of Acid Jazz, as is the rest of the album (not at all like Twisted Tongue). All the influences are here from The Small Faces to The Beatles to The Who to The Jam to The Style Council to The Jags (Paddy O’Toole, get in touch as you still owe me a beer!) to The Squeeze to The XTC (OK, I cheated on the last two).

‘Chinese Whispers’ features the organ of Crofts (so to speak) and ‘Let It Go’ is pure pop-ness but in a good way. I’m not too keen on current indie/guitar bands, but a while back The Rakes were a promising bunch (remember ‘22 Grand Job’?). We’ll they’re recently disbanded which is good news for, guitarist Chris Ketley as he’s now joined The Moons. And when you hear songs like ‘Torn Between The Two’ you think to yourself, “hey! I recognise this as good song writing, sing-a-long hook and power pop that wants to make you get up and move”); again, check out ‘Everyday Heroes’.

It’s a high standard to maintain and ‘Nightmare Day’ slips in a bit of inner city ska meets The Shadows doing the ‘Monster Mash’ that’s not as half as horrendous as I make it sound but ‘Lost Soul’ is a little 60s obvious. ‘Promise Not To Tell’ gets some “do, doooos” in with the guitar chords and if you’ve not cottoned on yet, the main song emphasis of Crofts is taking us on a musical journey of love in all its form (ecstasy, break up, redemption, doubt and the like) whilst the subject of ‘The Ragman’ may lost on a younger generation (although you’ll find Suggs’ My Journeys Through Disappearing London informative).

And if you’re wondering what where Mr. Weller is, unsurprisingly, as they recorded the 12 tracks in his studio, he turns up for a tinkle of the ivories on the track ‘Wondering’ (which sounds a bit pub song daaawn the East End doin’ Lou Reed’s ‘Satellite Of Love’ - ouch!).

The album ends on ‘Last Night On Earth’ which is another “sounds like”, in this case a bit Oasis (from the South) that moves into a Beatles/The Byrds thing; there’s a fantastic remix in there somewhere (take me to Sun Ra I here you say).

On the whole, it’s a promising album that renews your faith and whilst I can’t say I was ever a fan of OCS (one for the ladies?) they better be good as taking The Moons on tour with them could prove a problem. You sense that The Moons are fantastic live so get there early and if not, get the album and watch out for them on Festival line-ups throughout the summer.

Forthcoming Gigs:
02 Feb 2010 O2 ACADEMY (Supporting Ocean Colour Scene) OXFORD
03 Feb 2010 O2 ACADEMY (OCS) BOURNEMOUTH
04 Feb 2010 JANICE LONG RADIO SESSION BBC RADIO 2 London
05 Feb 2010 ASSEMBLY ROOMS (OCS) DERBY
06 Feb 2010 02 ACADEMY (OCS)-SOLD OUT LIVERPOOL
07 Feb 2010 KASBAH (OCS) COVENTRY
09 Feb 2010 O2 ACADEMY (OCS) SHEFFIELD
10 Feb 2010 EMPIRE (OCS) MIDDLESBOROUGH
11 Feb 2010 ROTHES HALL (OCS) GLENROTHES
13 Feb 2010 ASSEMBLY ROOMS (OCS) WICK
14 Feb 2010 IRONWORKS (OCS) INVERNESS
15 Feb 2010 MUSIC HALL (OCS) ABERDEEN
17 Feb 2010 PICTURE HOUSE (OCS)-SOLD OUT EDINBURGH
18 Feb 2010 PICTURE HOUSE (OCS) EDINBURGH
19 Feb 2010 ALBERT HALL (OCS) STIRLING
20 Feb 2010 TOWN HALL (OCS)-SOLD OUT MONTROSE
22 Feb 2010 ST GEORGES HALL (OCS) BRADFORD
23 Feb 2010 KING GEORGES HALL (OCS) BLACKBURN
24 Feb 2010 VICTORIA HALL (OCS) STOKE
26 Feb 2010 HEXAGON (OCS) READING
27 Feb 2010 UNIVERSITY (OCS) LOUGHBOROUGH
28 Feb 2010 CORN EXCHANGE (OCS) CAMBRIDGE
2 Mar 2010 ENGINE SHED (OCS) LINCOLN
3 Mar 2010 COAL EXCHANGE (OCS)-SOLD OUT CARDIFF
4 Mar 2010 THE ALBAN ARENA (OCS) ST ALBANS
5 Mar 2010 THE GARAGE (part of the club This Feeling) LONDON
15 Mar 2010 HMV OXFORD STREET INSTORE & SIGNING LONDON
15 Mar 2010 MOONS ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY AT OLD BLUE LAST LONDON
19 Mar 2010 MERC INSTORE (Carnaby Street) LONDON
26 Mar 2010 THE WATER RATS THEATRE (HEADLINE) LONDON

Reviewed: The Moons - Life On Earth (Acid Jazz) Cat. No: AJX230 Release date: 15th March 2010 Andy Crofts (vocals and guitar), Chris Ketley (guitar and vocals), Ben Gordelier (drums), Adam Leeds (bass), James Bagshaw (keys and vocals)
Tracklisting:
1 Don’t Go Changin’ (2:41)
2 Chinese Whispers (4:10)
3 Let It Go (2:37)
4 Torn Between The Two (4:32)
5 Nightmare Day (4:00)
6 Promise Not To Tell (3:20)
7 How Long (3:26)
8 The Ragman (2:46)
9 Everyday Heroes (4:44)
10 Lost Soul (4:44)
11 Wondering (3:21)
12 Last Night On Earth (5:43)

Links:
www.myspace.com/themoonsofficial
www.acidjazz.co.uk : The label, founded by Eddie Piller and Gilles Peterson back in 1988, became a buzz word in itself and provided a welcome antidote to the bleeps of acid house that swept all asunder in late ’80s clubland. Artists like Brand New Heavies, Jamiroquai, Galliano, Terry Callier, Paul Weller, JTQ, Corduroy, A Man Called Adam and a whole host of others found a natural home at the indie label that pushed back the musical boundaries.
oceancolourscene.com