Lunar Heart - album review
The ultimate feel-good story of the valley music scene is missing one crucial piece for this indie pop band: an adequate and influential album that can power the next generation of local music artists.
Edinburg’s Lunar Heart has done the impossible. They have moved up in the McAllen scene rapidly while being an underage band in an area of only bar venues. Having 2 album release shows at Yerberia Cultura and an appearance at Cine El Rey, while also getting mentions on the “Blasst” and “Songchaser” podcasts, is a great resumé for any band, let alone a young group within a year and a half. What started as a brother/sister-guitarist/drummer duo grew into a 3 and occasionally a 4-member crew who continue to ride the momentum. Unfortunately, the new album doesn’t share the same upward trend.
Being a carbon copy of their previous album, titled “Black Ink”, is the first mistake. After being baptized and legitimized by the best venues and gatekeepers, a much more ambitious and denser album is needed. The tracks sound like first drafts of a song. All that you get is what you hear in the first 10 seconds. The instrumentation is underutilized with 4/4 guitar riffs, bass and keyboards playing the usual follow-along role, and placeholder drums throughout. The static and linear formula make this one big 26-minute blur.
The biggest obstacle to get past is the vocals. María Mendoza sings in a highly pitched and highly pinched way that makes the lyrics unintelligible most of the time. With no prominent personality and lack of strong melody, the youthful vocal delivery can become grating rather than cute. Soft child-like vocals are not inherently bad, but do need better context in the music. Purity Ring has a similar-sounding singer, but what makes the vocals pop is that the young innocent voice contrasts with the deep bass, dark music, and graphic lyrics.
Minimalism works fine as well. Actors Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates have a daughter who fronts the band “Frankie Cosmos.” She uses the same genres, vocal softness, studio layering, and instrumental density as Lunar Heart. She makes it work by using punchier strums and drums, creating and ending a simple jingle before it becomes too repetitive, and singing with an aching voice that’s still strong enough to carry a melody. It can be done.
The highest point of the album is “Puppets,” where a second guitar steals the show with its triplet melodies, creating a meek and moody setting before breaking out into a heavy post-chorus section. The vocals and lyrics fit better in this track’s submissive themes. “Everybody wants to know whether they’re loved or not,” Mendoza sings in an apologetic tone. “We want to feel like we’re good enough.”
“Romance & You” also shows how small tweaks in the Lunar Heart playbook can go a long way; it features another square guitar riff but is saved by the keyboard having an independent part that fills in the empty spaces and adds more dimension and mood.
With the lack of young talent in the RGV music scene this past decade, Lunar heart gives hope that the new generation are welcome and can put in the work and sacrifices. Hopefully their next indie-rock/pop album actually comes with the energy of rock and the catchiness of pop, while aiming higher with aspirations that can only come from a band as young as Lunar Heart.
Score: 2/10
Listen to Lunar Heart here