Scott Gagner – BloodMoon
Hummingbird Heart was a power pop masterpiece and this site’s best album of 2019. It featured lyrically brilliant and personal songs delivered with an overabundance of strong hooks and catchy choruses. BloodMoon is Scott Gagner’s most personal record to date and a must hear for anyone moved by music with depth and heart.
BloodMoon chronicles the personal tumult of the past two years starting with “Rise”. A very catchy piano driven piece about a move from California to Minnesota due to the wildfires, it’s a melodic gem.
Those who remember Talking Heads and David Byrne will really dig “Twice in a Lifetime”. In “Once in a Lifetime”, Byrne takes on the persona of a Southern Baptist preacher in a spoken word piece that still blows me away. Similarly, Gagner uses a spoken word delivery to express the hopes and expectations he has for his new home.
My favorite track may be “I Don’t Get Out Much (Anymore)”. Written during the pandemic, it isn’t hard to guess the subject matter. However, I appreciate lyrical works that don’t necessarily adhere to a single meaning. This song could just as easily be about waking up one day only to find oneself in a completely unexpected place in one’s life. It’s beautifully performed and dammit, it’s got soul to spare.
An Elvis Sighting (Kind of)
If you’ve been wondering what Pete Thomas of Elvis Costello & The Attractions has been up to, here’s your answer. Thomas mans the drums admirably while Steve Berlin (yes, we have a Blasters sighting, too!) plays sax. it’s a stellar lineup performing first rate material.
Get Scott Gagner’s BloodMoon
You can get Scott Gagner’s BloodMoon at his Bandcamp page or through Amazon. Additionally, you can get the CD through Kool Kat Musik.
