Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There are forces in the Universe that still hold humanity with freedom to be installed with awe, the passing of a fiery comet hurtling towards an endless cycle of possible infinity, the first rays of Spring sunshine on the back after months of darkness. The images captured by the Hubble telescope and the radiance beyond our scope and knowledge and yet look up at the sky in the dark and see the comforting sight of the Moon, it is a constant that has been in the thoughts of humanity since we evolved out of the Primordial Soup.
For The Broux, it’s latest E.P. Primordial Moonshine is one in which to take great pleasure in, one that reminds the listener of the great strength, not only that the band possess in droves but of the power and thoughts that emanates from above our own sphere of influence and the way that just as the Moon is able to influence the tides, then perhaps it guides the brain, of which is 90 percent water, into being more than its parts. It seems there is certainly more songs and poems written about the Moon than the stars and Sun, and yet it is thought of as cold and unremitting, not having the same effect on a mood as the yellow ball of exploding gas seen in the daylight.
Primordial Moonshine is full of that conscious, provoking thought and the wonder held within. The poetic beat, the slam of a thousand hearts captured by wonderful perseverance and imagery that seems guided by an unseen force, is enhanced by Rose Greenwood really grabbing the attention with her vocals. Whilst The Green E.P. perhaps arguably didn’t show Ms. Greenwood at her best, Primordial Moonshine is so overwhelming with stirring vocals, the type that wouldn’t have gone amiss in the psychedelic era and certainly would have held its own in Americana, and for that alone, it makes the latest E.P. one in which to savour.
With Mick Wright, John Kierans and Lindsey Riley combining with effortless and abundant enthusiasm, tracks such as Bright Blue Sky, the wonderful fulfilling Knock Three Times and Change are testament to the power around us, if only we, as a species, would look up more often into the dark sky and see the wonders unfolding before our eyes, then perhaps we might see more possibility of the beauty that is here on Earth.
Primordial Moonshine is available to purchase from March 14th.
Ian D. Hall