Pocket Melodies＜限定盤＞

Marking their return from a six-year recording hiatus, Pocket Melodies is the fourth full-length from the Moons, an English group whose musical touchstones include the British Invasion, psychedelia, and garage rock of the 60s as well as later soft rock, power pop, and Brit-pop inspirations. An ambitious return, the hour-long offering is nonetheless jammed with lyrical, infectious material that frequently matches the high songwriting watermark of some of their influences. That is to say that it plays much like a hits collection, beginning with the tight harmonies, pristine jangle, slick keyboards, and skittering drum kit and bongos of the 70s-inflected Today. That rousing opener leads into the more-intimate Riding Man, a melding of 60s, 90s, and 2020s production and songwriting traits thats equally as uplifting. They deliver Gallagher-esque swagger on The Old Brigade while favoring classic George Martin on tracks like Sleep and affectionate standout Here I Am (Just one look from you is all I need). Other highlights include the brisk, countrified Maybe Im the Perfect Man (For You), the cigarette lighter-encouraging The Lone Wolf, and An Ordinary Romance, a stripped-down acoustic guitar ditty with occasional strings that leaves in a few seconds of studio preparation and the sound of singer Andy Crofts tapping feet. Crofts was made a member of Paul Wellers backing band before launching the Moons, and Pocket Melodies also includes a songwriting collaboration with Weller, Tunnel of Time. Theres little if anything worth skipping on Pocket Melodies despite its generous length, and it makes for a noteworthy debut for Crofts own Colorama Records label. ~ Marcy Donelson