Lightning in a Twilight Hour - Fragments of a Former Moon

  by Anthony Strutt

published: 4 / 5 / 2015

---

'Fragments of a Former Moon' is the debut full album release of Lightning in a Twilight Hour, the new band of Trembling Blue Stars and the Field Mice's Bobby Wratten. It follows on from '10 Slow Changes', their 10" debut vinyl-only mini-album of earlier this year, which, like this album, also appears in a grey sleeve with minimal art work. Bobby Wratten has always done what he does very well, and this is his rebirth into the world of music after a four year absence. He is very shy and it seems unlikely that he will ever return to the stage, but, with two new releases in a few months, it looks like he has got a new leash of life. 'Fragments of a Former Moon' finds him playing to all his strengths. 'The Memory Museum', opens it in gentle fashion with a warm vocal that rocks slowly. As it speeds, up, it becomes more complex recalling New Order. ‘The Pattern Room’ features a vocal from Bobby’s Trembling Blue Stars’ band mate and girlfriend, Beth Arzy, and is much more dance-oriented. ‘The Passerby’ is, light and airy, while the guitar that graces it is some of the most beautiful that I have ever heard. ‘Fever Dreams of Emilia’ is a creepy, mood-based atmospheric piece. ‘The Absentee’ is lighter and again minimal, featuring soft guitar, a softly shaken tambourine and a vocal from Bobby that rocks at you as if it were fragile glass. ‘Taking the Figure Out of the Landscape’, is a floating cinematic instrumental, while ‘Unanswered’ is pretty much pop perfection, featuring a vocal as rich as warm honey and a gorgeous, gently rocking beat. ‘I Dreamt Music’ is music to look out of windows and dream too. ‘Night Traveller’ is a hypnotic number, featuring an Indian style chant and, a very clever piece, is like a soft shoegaze number but without that genre’s energy or force. ‘Starfields’ is a loner, like a last soldier left on the battlefield looking for fellow survivors. ‘Fragments of a Former Moon’ is a gorgeous record which, full of ideas, is perfectly arranged and consistently inventive

Track Listing:-

1 The Memory Museum
2 The Pattern Room
3 The Passerby
4 Fever Dreams Of Emilia
5 The Absentee
6 Taking The Figure Out Of The Landscape
7 Unanswered
8 I Dreamt Music
9 Night Traveller
10 Starfields

Band Links:-

https://twitter.com/betharzy

Label Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/elefantuk
http://www.elefantuk.com/
https://twitter.com/elefantuk
http://elefant.com/

Post A Comment

---

Comment

Name

your name

Location

ie London, UK

Submit

Check box to submit

Adam Coxon
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson

Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart

Malcolm Carter
Marie Hazelwood
Mark Rowland
Nick Dent-Robinson
Nicky Crewe
Nige Nudds
Philamonjaro
Richard Lewis
Shirley Procter
Spencer Robertshaw
Steev Burgess
Steve Kinrade

Steve Miles
Tommy Gunnarsson
Zena Grieg