Luna Motif - Tender Weapons (self-released)

Sometimes, it is the less obvious aspects of a band’s sound that tell you the most interesting things about them, and as “Honeydawn” gets into its stride, amongst the expected alt-rock energies and incendiary guitar salvos, there are some wonderful lilting ebbs and flows, the sort of thing that emanated from the music of Celtic rockers such as Big Country back in the day, an almost folk vibe wrapped in rock grove. It comes as no surprise to find that Luna Motif is from Dublin.

I’m not saying that such signature touches define their music, but they are there if you look for them. Those sing-song sonics, poetic vibes, windswept grandeur, and keening sounds are just some of the many musical elements found running through Tender Weapons, their latest EP. But for every nod to a more traditional past, there are double the number that move with the times.

“Adventure Kids” leans more into classic rock but mixes things by running some nu-metal guitar lines through the song as it heads for the finish line, “Primal Forces” reminds us that all rock music is derived, to some degree, from blues formats and “Firestorm” is a squalling wave of post-rock sonics tethered to a more recognizable rock format.

Things round off with “War on the Street,” a song that takes its time to build, rising from spacious rock to anthemic, almost metal salvos—the perfect way to round things off.

Everyone is a product of the place that they call home. But while you occasionally get glimpses of the culture that they come from in their music, it is where Luna Motif is going that is the more interesting prospect.

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