The Big Moon – Here Is Everything

The Big Moon have fast become one of the most promising indie bands of the past decade, deftly balancing pop and indie in infectious fashion with a sense of groove and swagger to their sound. The group’s first album, Love in the Fourth Dimension was released in 2017, while their most recent record, the terrific Walking Like We Do came out just before the pandemic and lockdowns in early 2020. 

Following a relatively long break and singer Juliette Jackson having a baby, the four-piece returns with another stellar offering in the shape of Here Is Everything. This is a deeply personal record about Jackson’s child and the joys and tribulations of motherhood. It retains much of the strength of the previous records but adds extra depth, showing a band confident in their sound and willing to step outside their comfort zone. 

There is a high quality threshold across the album from the slow buildup of Two Lines, which blossoms into something powerful, built around Jackson’s vocals and wondrous harmonies. Reaching a rollicking climax, this track perfectly showcases the depth of the group’s offering, traversing the breadth of the indie spectrum. 

The striking intro of Wide Eyes incorporates guitars and synths before melding into Jackson’s vocals. It proves their ear for a hook and the balance of pop and rock. Another personal number built around Jackson’s motherhood, Daydreaming is a poppier effort, and once again contains some luscious harmonies. 

This Love contains a slower, acoustic groove and wonderfully illustrates their range as artists, chock full of witty lyricism. On top of everything else, Jackson is a sharp lyricist, and this shines through on this record more than any of the others to date as they reflect on the pandemic and motherhood.

Suckerpunch is a more layered track with a punchy, heavier riff-based intro and, again, some funny lyrics about finally being domesticated; it is wonderfully contrasted by the infectious My Very Best. The harder edge of Suckerpunch is retained in Trouble, which is built around its bass line and acts as an exhibition for the whole band and why their sound stands out from the crowd. 

Here Is Everything is luscious, warm hug of a record. It is a wonderfully personal recollection of their recent experience and really excels at capturing what makes the them so special: from sharp, witty lyrics to tremendous collective musicianship, they are clearly a tight-knit group, completely at ease at each of their roles. This record, more than their first two, balances their pop and indie influences to mark a truly luminous 11-track LP that stands among their best work. The harmonies are truly haunting and beautiful, and the fact many of the vocal recordings were first takes adds a raw, unpolished edge that makes the more introspective feel stand out even more. This is a truly stunning album that shows The Big Moon are a force to be reckoned with and one of the most important bands working at the moment, making a welcome return. 

Christopher Connor

Here Is Everything is released on 14^th October 2022. For further information or to order the album visit The Big Moon’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Trouble here: