Moonshake - Eva Luna: Classic or Dud

I heard little Moonshake after Ms Fiedler left; Laika went on to become something of an obsession of mine - dragging indie-pop friends to Young Gods shows in Wolverhampton just because they were supporting, almost going to see Radiohead in '97 for the same reason - that kind of madcap, zany behaviour.

And "Good-Looking Blues" isn't *awful* - the weakest of the three LPs, but come on... "Widow's Weeds"? "Go Fish"? "Knowing Too Little"?

NOTHING!!!

(it is a great album though)

W/the horns and the breaks and that chick doing what she does!

Oh, to be me in the early nineties...

THAT BASS is great!!! "Tar Baby" is another awesome 90s song!

I used to love all the lps on Too Pure. Moonshake was great. Not so sure it was underrated. I place them on the scale somewhere near AMP's mid-90s releases for Kranky, Laika (of course), and other labelmates Pram.

I still think 'Big Good Angel' was their finest hour

Listening to The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow for the first time and holy fuck why isn't this more feted? Sounds AMAZING to my ears.

I never actually heard any of the post-split Moonshake records (guessing this isn't uncommon, Laika seemed to have the higher profile.)

The Sound... is a bit less impressive than Laika rhythmically but the textures are pretty amazing, lots of totally unhinged jazzy sound samples piled on top of one another to the point of collapse.

How prevalent are Callahan's vocals? That was always my biggest issue with his half(s) of the earlier Moonshake record.

As prevalent as before, pretty much...

everything after eva luna has that smoothed out vibe to it. part of the appeal, at least for me, of eva luna is the idea that it is all about to implode. maybe it was guy fixsen who was key. i hope he's mixed the new Klima record.

The Sound... was a Wire Winner back when it was released. So, at least it was feted at the time.

there seems to be a real divide between the male and female-led tracks here. his songs bring a jagged Gang of Four vibe to the plate, while hers have a routinely moody and hypnotic feel to them, obscure with cluttered instrumentation and voice-from-the-adjacent-room effect. i can't quite work out which approach i prefer, but the fact that both sides exist, signals them as a hell of an interesting band.

great album! listening to it now for the first time. reminds me of the Too Pure stuff i like.

Any ideas why the UK and US versions had their sides swapped over, so the UK side one was US side two etc?

i dunno but the 11th song on my copy is so awesome. the guitars rule!

still buzzing off this album

Gee I guess I should really revisit! Every revive is gushing on this thread.

This is their best album yeah

How strange I never posted on this thread! I will always remember them and their live show in 1993 at the Palladium in LA opening for PJ Harvey on a three band bill. (Middle band: Radiohead. What a world.)

If you like the guitars and the Dave Callahan songs on this album, it's well worth checking out Attitude, which was the last record by his previous band, the Wolfhounds. By that stage in their career (1989/90), they'd moved right away from what most people would associate them with (i.e. 'Anti-Midas Touch', the C86 scene and generally sounding a bit like the Fall), they were on more of a Sonic Youth kick instead, but unlike most of their contemporaries here, they were doing so in a totally wideawake and non-shoegazey way (maybe it was this that led to them being totally ignored at the time?). Anyhow, some of my favourite multi-guitar-pile-up sounds of the era. The best songs (Vertical Grave, Celeste) aren't on Youtube, but this one is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY7b3AxATjw

That's awesome... I wish I could preview a bit more of that album.

(Wolfhounds)

I got to play this "out", as I believe the young people say - well, "Little Thing", at a little DJ night my pal runs. Still can't work out the track order from the sleeve or label to this day.

Big Dave C is big in the birdwatching world these days:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/dec/12/david-callahan-big-year

not sure why but i was aware of that somehow.

they did have a song called beautiful pigeon so there you go

I recall back in '95 he used to work behind the counter at one of the Music & Video Exchange shops in London, so I'd guess he will be a lot happier with his current career.

I just woke up from a short, very lucid, and I dare say accurate, dream about when Margeret Fiedler left Moonshake to form Laika. She took all the keyboards, strapped to her back, but could not take any horns because they were too bulky.

That is all.

I just stumbled on this thread and decided to give it a go on youtube-- this guy's voice is a monstrosity, the girl is trying to be spooky. The lyrics are kind of bad puddles of oil spill water. The band sounds really great, the rhythms are pretty nice, but UGH UGH UGH. It hurts! I'M DISAPPOINTED, YOU GUYS.

Whatever. I unabashedly love Eva Luna. One if my favorite bass guitar albums of all time.

My god Big Good Angel is amazing.

Just discovered this album and period singles/EPs. Brilliant stuff, Dave's vocals grew on me surprisingly fast. Always loved Margaret.

Listening to the second album, it's at least half amazing and may very well win me over.

I need more fucked up shit like this in my life.

Reissue on the way...

Approving Eva Luna reissue artwork at Beggars Group on Monday. Yes, it's all on the way, now ... pic.twitter.com/0CC0fuWFxg

— Moonshake (@moonshake666) November 23, 2022

Very exciting!! And the second album, "The Sound Your Eyes Can Follow", won me over quickly as well. Great jazz-not-jazz vibe. I never could find the love for "Dirty & Divine" though.

Dave Callahan has released a pair of amazing solo albums in the past year or so, definitely worth checking out:
https://davidlancecallahan.bandcamp.com/album/english-primitive-i
https://davidcallahan.bandcamp.com/album/english-primitive-ii

Floored by the Peel session (transmitted two months after it was recorded, a lag longer than normal?).

Too Pure OTM.