Moonface. People have been personifying the moon for at least a couple years now. Old news. Old news, too, is the fact that Moonface came out with their album (Spencer Krug backed by krautrocking Siinai) on April 17, this fine year of our lord two thousand and twelve. Moonface fits.
Moonface’s moniker fits eerily well. Firstly because the music is undeniably eerie. There’s something about synthpop that is naturally unnatural, and that it almost detaches itself from emotion. But back to the face/moon analogy: there are two sides to this album titled Heartbreaking Bravery. Neither side depicts the end scene from Braveheart. There’s an almost biblically epic build from darkness on track 8, “Headed for the Door,” but the coin gets flipped the next track, “Teary Eyes and Bloody Lips,” which is an anthem for nostalgic Iggy Pop fans. Nothing biblical about that.
Compared to his first album, Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I’d Hoped, the album title is noticeably less hilarious but there is still the same dark, passive humor present throughout. It’s got the same New Wave, buzz heavy feel that balances pop lines and blue undertones, the contrast being a constant theme in his music, and the music his genre seems to reflect. It’s heavy, but not always heavy hearted.