Album Review: "Luna" by There Is No Mountain

Luna

I still don't see it.

I can't help it and I refuse to try, because the name of this band reminds me of a (classic?) Monty  Python sketch wherein Eric Idle cannot see the mountain the rest of the group sees.

I suppose Philip J. Fry did something similar in Futurama when they were headed to the Great Stone Face of Mars.

So, this band's name really does bring me some good memories, but let's get some housekeeping out of the way instead of my waxing nostalgic about canceled TV shows.

Portland, Oregon's own There Is No Mountain is a duo, who get this, is married! So all those times you hear about a band being like a marriage, do you think they thought their marriage was like a band...so then they said what the hell?

Matt Harmon (right) and Kali Giaritta (left)

Well, if you're anything like me, you simultaneously cheered and cringed when you heard There Is No Mountain is a duo.

Since The Black Keys and The White Stripes made it fashionable, there has been about 752 of them, most of them not so great.

Thankfully, we're not talking about a bland band that just couldn't fill out a full roster.

There Is No Mountain has a distinct sound and voice that feels like it's lacking nothing.

The guitars (and drums) are heavily effected, but it sounds like there are no effects at all. Swirling, ringing, and fuzzy guitars dominate the musical landscape, but they cannot compete with the "dueling" vocal arrangements. Both Harmon and Giaritta have unique and powerful voices, and then there's those drums...

This is a great band for someone who's heard it all and wants to hear something new. Luna is a classic example in contradiction. The voices are diminutive, but powerful. The guitars are heavily effected, but the soul rings clear. The band is sparse, but their music is full.

This is another band that will take some investigation to fully understand.

Release: 1/15/16
Genre: Pysch Pop
Label: Org Music
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