Serve a Thirsty Moon is an eclectic collection of short songs (most are under the 2-minute mark) by the Indie band, Smug Brothers. These guys have had some year, as this is their 3rd release in 2019! Their innovative outpouring of music speaks well for the tenacious foursome, who have produced their most connected LP yet.
What I enjoyed about this release is how the songs all have their own delivery, which is an unconventional, off-the-wall tone that is unique to the Smug Brothers. Not every note is pitch-pure, but the music and vocals still pull together in a united fashion that is both fun and serious. “Inside the Honeycomb” has a cadence that should get your fingers-snapping with the clever drum work. It’s a fine opening number which easily opens the door to the rest of the tracks. My favorite, however, is “As Close as You can Get”, which clocks in at just over a minute. This one has many concealed layers, which is a pleasure to detect. “Born on Kentucky Avenue” is another that hits you with a rare punk rock/indie rock partnership.
My secret passion with this album was trying to figure out the significance of each track’s title. With a track list that includes, “Antenna Chariot Finals”, “Spitball Citation” “Earl of Snakes”, and “Garbo Encores”, you can get an idea of the challenge that is involved.
If you like your Indie music to be uncommon and unconventional, then please give this album a listen.
