Johnny And The Moon
Johnny And The Moon
Johnny And The Moon
[3/5]
Born from the 10-month period between Dante DeCaro’s exit from Hot Hot Heat and his arrival in Wolf Parade, the guitarist’s Johnny And The Moon project/record borrows heavily from a saved-up ’60s pop nostalgia that sounds as natural and casual as it does uneven. At its best-behind the proper mandolin-driven folk-stomp of “The Ballad Of Scarlet Town” or the playful plinking of “Little Red Cat”-DeCaro’s pop is flushed with sweetly unpretty imperfections. But it sometimes misses wildly, too, like when his nasal bleating weighs down recycled folk number “Oleanna.” So Johnny And The Moon is like an evening around a campfire after one too many nightcaps. While DeCaro deserves points for capturing that kind of uninhibited spontaneity, it’s difficult remembering his slurry brilliance long after it’s finished. (KILL DEVIL HILLS) Tristan Staddon
