Short Reviews [Radiant Moon - 2023 - "Now's The Time"]

Given that mass media were determined to kill prog back in 1976 with the advent of punk, I still smile when approached by brand new outfits, and here we have the debut album by Radiant Moon. All the material is provided by Brian Facklam (keyboards, vocals, clarinet) and Dave Shahin (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals) and they are joined by Jimmy Grillo (drums) and Nick Lieto (vocals, trumpet). Nick used to be in Frogg Cafe, who I reviewed all the way back in 2005 while everyone else is a seasoned musician as well, now putting all their energies into the new outfit. In many ways this feels like a Seventies prog album which has been influenced by the likes of Yes in terms of the symphonic style, yet there is no doubt that Rush have also had a very important part to play, and the combination of influences makes for a very listenable album indeed. We get harmony vocals dropped in here and there, which is somewhat unusual these days, while the music itself can be quite commercial yet also more out there with instrumentation which can be staccato playing on top of sounds which are far more drawn out. There are times when the guitars are very to the fore, sometimes duetting with the keyboards in a Uriah Heep/Deep Purple manner, but one would never think of putting these into the Hard Rock basket while they are also quite different indeed to the guitar-driven Neo with sounds and styles which are definitely more dated. This often comes across as a late Seventies release as opposed to the current day, taking its cues from the period before that as opposed to what has been happening in the last forty plus years. One is never sure quite where we are going to be taken, and it is obvious that among other influences that The Moody Blues have also had a part to play in an album which somehow is both dated and incredibly fresh at the same time. This is yet another new prog band to keep an eye on, and I look forward to their next album with great interest – one for progheads to discover.