Moose Blood – Blush

When we last checked in with Canterbury quartet Moose Blood, they had just released their debut LP to much fanfare.  The emo-pop newcomers quickly charmed an ever-critical audience, citing welcome likenesses to contemporaries Prawn and Dikembe amongst long time favourites like Brand New.  Needless to say, they left quite a striking first impression.  Diligent performers they are, Moose Blood is back a short year later with their next step and follow-up, Blush.

Returning fans will welcome the familiar emotion-laced, soft-spoken melody as a further extension of the band’s high caliber and spirit of musicianship.  A further sigh of relief comes knowing that Moose Blood has followed up their initial effort without any radical departure, more fully exploring their current characteristics (avoiding the sophomore slump that so damagingly stunted genre-mates Somos a couple years back).

Blush defines itself as a very cohesive and listenable outing.  Embracing hooks without over-emphasizing poppy elements, and exploring emotions without dragging listeners down into the murky depths.  Tracks like “Pastel,” “Honey,” and “Knuckles” maintain a steady beat, buoyantly propelled by thoughtful riffs and analytical lyrics that do more than default to a worst case scenario.  The latter takes a reflective approach in sing along choruses that seek truth as much as validation.  When the tempo shifts and the vibe becomes gloomier, songs like “Sulk” enter sadder territory without losing their underlying energy.  Poignant chords vibrantly ring out into neighbouring track “Glow” as recovery sinks in, eventually spiking back in “Cheek’s” easy hooks.  While this description might read like a track-by-track, that has more to do with Blush’s logical flow rather than a writing style.

During the final leg, Moose Blood really slows down for “Shimmer” and “Spring,” reminding listeners of the merit of comparisons to Brand New.  For the former, a dark veil tempers the atmosphere, stripping percussion for the first half of the track and replacing steady riffs with lone chords, ringing out with lingering distortion.  During “Spring” the vocals take a somber turn, emphasizing the pain of memory, grounding the album’s heavy emotional content in a fitting backdrop.  This pair of tunes boasts everything you’d want in a solid emo or post-punk track.

Above all, Blush is a fulfilling listen.  Moose Blood may not have deviated far from their formula or taken too many chances, but they make a strong case for their underlying foundation.  While some may argue that Moose Blood plays it safe on Blush, the undeniably solid execution only solidifies future curiosities, begging the question, where will Moose Blood go from here?  Given their track record of speedy follow-ups, perhaps we’ll only need to wait a year to find the answer.