Stella Luna - Stargazer
by Jonjo McNeill
published: 10 / 3 / 2003

Label:
Clairecords
Format: CDS
intro
"Superb " shoe gazing debut by new Florida five piece, Stella Luna
Is there room for a shoe gazing revival in early 2003? I wasn't convinced, but then along came Stella Luna to make me question that thought. Hushed, breathy vocals, HUGE guitars, supernatural synths and reverby drums prevail on this debut release from the Florida five-piece. With a name like Stella Luna you expect some cosmic elements to the music, but not since Spiritualized's seminal 'Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space' has a collection of songs felt as much like a journey through the stars. Opener 'Change' is a droney, trance like tune, but has a beautiful melody over the top. The guitars are reminiscent of Sonic Youth, while the vocals are somewhere between J Spaceman and Jim Reid. Some people make magic when they get together in a rehearsal room - that certainly appears to be the case here. The title track is the same in all but name to the opener; they almost sound like two parts of the same song. Not that that's a bad thing ! The simple lines that intertwine (© Spinal Tap) between the synths and the guitar create a true ethereal beauty. 'Antares' is a little more tune driven than the other tracks on offer, with a beautiful arpeggio guitar supplemented by a bubbling, watery synth, and 'A Bridge To Nowhere' actually picks up the pace a little. This is an excellent record. The only question I was asking was how would their sound translate to a long player? As an EP, it's nearly thirty minutes long. I don't think even I could listen to much more of this music without falling into a stoner-like trance. As an introduction to a band with one foot in the past and one in the future, this is superb. Perhaps a bit more variation for the LP though eh?
Track Listing:-
1 change2 stargazer
3 antares
4 a bridge to nowhere
most viewed articles
current edition
Peter Doherty - Blackheath Halls, Blackheath and Palace Halls, Watford, 18/3/2025 and 21/3/2025Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - Interview
Lauren Mayberry - Photoscapes
Max Bianco and the BlueHearts - Troubadour, London, 29/3/2025
Maarten Schiethart - Vinyl Stories
Sukie Smith - Interview
Clive Langer - Interview
Kim Wilde - Photoscapes
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboNigel Stonier - Wolf Notes
Wings - Venus and Mars
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn - Songs For The Trees
Neil Campbell - The Turnaround
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Darkness - Dreams On Toast
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Charles Ellsworth - Cosmic Cannon Fodder
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart