Poor Moon: “Birds”
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Sometimes you hear a piece of music and it immediately evokes a sense of season. The Beach Boys basically scored summer, the bulk of Nico’s songs are great for the cold days of winter and, for some reason, The Turtles’ “Elenore” just makes me think of running through a springtime field of posies (don’t ask). But what about fall? Well, the Pacific Northwest quartet Poor Moon has a new record out, and it’s a great soundtrack to watch the leaves change by.
Poor Moon started in 2008 as a side project between Fleet Foxes members Christian Wargo and Casey Westcott (the pair also played together in Crystal Skulls and Pedro the Lion) and brothers Ian and Peter Murray. The group was less a band, and more an excuse to collaborate with friends. The quartet shared files and wrote music any way they could. But as the Fleet Foxes started on their meteoric rise, Wargo and Westcott were forced to put Poor Moon on the back-burner. That is, until this year. In March Poor Moon released their debut five-song EP Illusion, and today they issue their eponymous full-length debut.
Poor Moon, much like big brother band Fleet Foxes’ work, is filled with lush harmonies and vast, pastoral soundscapes. You can most definitely hear the Foxes’ influence on the album’s closer (and today’s song of the day) “Birds.” There’s also moments of light, woody psychedelia that adds just a bit of flavor to the mix. It’s a very warm record, and with fall coming (hopefully) soon, you’re going to need more bands like Poor Moon.
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