The Pre-Hype Machine: Moon And MoonThe Pre-Hype Machine: Moon And Moon
Weekly feature where we pluck something (that has zero results on Hype Machine) out of obscurity and serve it up hot and toasty.
I stumbled upon Moon & Moon at the Knitting Factory during their CMJ performance. It's best described as captivating freak-folk gypsy storytelling with a slew of belly dancers. It also draws comparisons to Godspeed You Black Emperor, if only because they both share this sort of "can't help but be epic" feel. Later on that night, while at the bar, I ended up next to Will Lemon, the charismatic singer of the group, who threw a demo disc to me and vividly explained his artwork on the cover; narration to the songs that unfold like a tall tale. It drew me in so much, I've been spinning his CD-R all month and emailed him to get some more info about his band.
Podbop: A few places online cite that Moon And Moon consists of members from An Albatross, Devendra Barnhart and Polyphonic Spree. Who exactly are the members?
Will Lemon: There has been a couple manifestations, but the current line up has been working together steadily since the late winter of '05. We are: Stephen Kurtz (big beat drums), Ed Clinger (steel drums and singing percussion), Jay Hudak (bass guitar), Lou Rogai (keys), Joe Maffi (synth and sound effects) and myself on horn and narration.
There have been shows that we have played with guest characters who have become a part of the unfolding of the story as it plays out on stage. We try to encourage the expansion of the musical and theatrical nature of what we are trying. Devendra has performed with us. He played the character of the Angry God, who rises from the ashes of the city, during the 4th song. That was a wonderful show and I wish we could play together more often. The member of Polyphonic Spree you are talking about is Louis Schwadron, a brilliant musician who plays keys on some of our recorded songs, but who lately has been working on a musical funeral for himself, awesome. Jay Hudak is also the bassist for An Albatross, and one of the most beautiful people I've ever met.
Podbop: Your album is a narrative consisting of 7 acts. Can you tell us the story?
Will Lemon: The story that we tell is the story of a conflict and the 6 perspectives within any one conflict. Each song is told by a different character and describes that character's feelings. The first moments of the story is the weather-beaten king finally reaching a beautiful harbor with his boy-army. On the horizon, he sees a beautiful rising city and a tall tower. In the tower, he can barely make out the figure of a woman standing, silhouetted, against the rising sun. He falls madly for this shadow of a woman and is incensed and angered greatly that the people of this city would jail such a beauty. So the king blows his horn 7 times and causes the walls to fall in on the unrighteous inhabitants; save for the tower that contained his beautiful queen.
The second song is the soldiers song (the workers, pawns) and that of the dying victims. They are looking for help but the boys that were once bright and light in their hearts have gone insane with killing. The third act is the song of the ghosts (the victims) rising and singing down to their killers in forgiveness and telling them about the day that they would rejoice and party in the void. The fourth act is the song of a confused and angry god of the city, rising up to challenge the sorcerer (the seller of conflict) who destroyed all his children and his city. The god has a massive head and a very small mouth so he cant possibly reason with the screaming king. Thusly, he floats away to let these boys have their way.
The fifth song is of the religious leader (the morality) or the seller of the battle to the throngs of the bloodied and insane boys restoring the moral of the group. Act 6 fast forwards to the last brick being mightily lifted atop the new walls, and the ensuing celebration. The walls are finally complete, along with a beautiful statue in the center of a beautiful golden tower and in the tower a beautiful woman.
As the king is looking at the statue he notices among the celebrators that the actual queen is still trapped in the tower. He struggles to tell the crowd of their mistake but they are so crazed that they won't listen. He fights his way through the crowd to the door of the tower only to realize that the door swings open. It was never locked in the first place. He runs up the tall tower away from the screaming throngs to his one true love. So begins the 7th song, but I cant tell you what happens or I would be giving away the ending and I'm not that type, my friend.
I'm posting 2 of the 7 acts, and if you'd like to "complete the circle of the story and keep from being left in an unfinished purgatory," as Will says, then you can pick up the whole CD with illustrated booklet and handmade song program for $15 by emailing williamlemon@gmail.com. It may seem like a lot for a CD-R, but the accompanying artwork (lo-fi copies but handsewn, as pictured above) and the hidden lavendar behind the CD wall that fills the air when you crack open the cd makes for a pretty rewarding sensory experience.
You can stream two more acts on their MySpace and catch them playing at Maxwell's in New Jersey on December 7th.
