Romeo Moon - wander

Romeo Moon

Wander
self-released; 2014

3.9 out of 5

By Jamie Robash

Anyone who has ever felt the fear of being locked out of their own home will instantly recognize the same nuances of that moment throughout much of Wander. Here the Melbourne quartet Romeo Moon capture that soul crushing feeling that everything that is familiar is just on the other side of that locked door, which you are unable to open. It quietly recounts the feeling of being able to see all the familiar comforts of home through a thick, heartbreaking pane of glass. 

The slow six-minute ambient opener “Tune In Tune Out” drifts lazily along with squeaky-clean guitar riffs, slow deep bass and well-beat scratchy snare. At just past the five-minute mark the tune crescendos and the guitar, bass and drums wake from their sleep to rock “Tune In Tune Out” out. Though the next track “Make You Feel” is where the band begins to make you feel the rock, with droning ’60s soaked guitar sounds and breakdowns, reminiscent of Iggy and the Stooges. 

On “The River” things take a sad and slow acoustic turn, which using the river metaphor musically to its best effect; the song momentarily begins to rage with sound though then it returns to calm before ending just as sweetly as it began.  “The River” then runs into the starkly beautiful “Lunatic Lovers,” which sounds heavily influenced by Kid A era Radio Head though in such a way it pays a beautiful tribute to its influence. That same influence comes through even more clearly on the spooky overdubbed oohs which help to make Wander’s closing track “Come With Me” impossible not to follow. 

Despite the diaspora associated with the album’s title, Wander rarely veers off course. For the casual listener, the familiar mid-tempo sounds associated with these six songs will soothingly satiate and satisfy a pair of acquiescent ears. Though for someone in need of more variety, Wander will not have you standing on your balcony beckoning as to where for art thou Romeo Moon is. 

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