It’s not often that you’re tasked with reviewing a record
from a “fictional” band yet here I am. The Moonlandingz were borne out of
Sheffield based experimental band Eccentronic Research Council’s wild and
twisted imagination. They were the subject of ECR’s record ‘Johnny Rocket,
Narcissist, & Music Machine… I’m Your Biggest Fan’ and Fat White Family
vocalists Lias Saoudi and Saul Adamczewski were enlisted to help bring ECR’S
vision to life. With all of these musicians involved; along with cameo
appearances by Yoko Ono and Sheffield legend Phil Oakley of all people; The
Moonlandingz debut record is a bizarre, confusing amalgamation of talent that
results in a great psych-prog/pop record laced with sinister inflections. The
record almost sounds like what you would listen to if you were charting the
stars and discovering new territories for the human race, so it is a very
befitting title indeed.
On the loopy, strung out ‘Sweet Saturn Mine’, Saoudi calls
out that he “doesn’t feel alright” and good lord I can sympathise with him
whilst listening to the record. The record is full of melodic psych tracks that
are distorted and twisted with expertly layered effects. This record would be a
great collection of acoustic covers if it was played unplugged with sonic
influences ranging from The Black Keys to The Velvet Underground. But that
wouldn’t be anywhere near as exciting. The Moonlandingz put their distinct
flavour on every track to unsettle and challenge the listener. Don’t get me
wrong, this record is challenging. The aforementioned ‘Sweet Saturn Mine’
sounds like a track produced by a rockabilly band that had recently discovered
in every drug under the sun, resulting in its strung out sound. ‘Theme for
Valhalla Dale’ sounds like something that’s been plucked straight from the recent
Westworld soundtrack with its creepy, schizophrenic western sounding
instrumental and ‘Lufthansa Man’ sounds like the band hopped into the studio
and jammed out in the way only they can, with copious effects distorting the
sound, any other way would be easy for the listener and The Moonlandingz don’t
do easy.
That free, loose feel is evident throughout the record.
Because this band isn’t “real”, the musicians clearly don’t feel any
restrictions whilst they’re in the studio. ‘The Rabies are Back’ is incredibly
daft track that you wouldn’t hear anywhere but on this record. It’s super
upbeat musically and gets you dancing but the singers are singing about Aldi
and dogs with rabies! It’s just such a bizarre and interesting experience to
have that it can’t really be conveyed in writing, you have to listen to this
record to really experience the tidal wave like assault of weirdness that The
Moonlandingz specialise in. It’s a crazy record from a crazy “band” but it
isn’t half fun.