Well this one really fell through the cracks. Whilst sorting through my huge piles of CDs awaiting review I came across this gem. I have no recall of ever receiving it, or of ever listening to it, and I always try to give everything a listen. Maybe someone broke ninja-style into my house and placed it there?
Either way no matter how long it has sat there all I can say is I am extremely pleased that I did find it, because this is an album that deserved to be discovered by the masses, although I am sure it won’t happen.
If you need a reference point then the obvious one is Counting Crows, although with the whine factor turned way down and with less 'bouncy-funky' moments, still at several points ‘The Moon My Saddle’ plays like an almost kissing cousin of ‘August and everything after’, I think the general similarities are caused by the same influences rather than by anything more incestuous.
Also in terms of the lyrical crafting and delivery it reminds me of Bruce Springsteen, both in terms of song structure and the real ‘blue collar’ America vibe the songs give off. Although the lyrics are better-educated relatives of early Springsteen, less motorbike references if you know what I mean. Singer David Moore has the talent of being able to write perfectly for his own voice, the lyrics twist themselves around his smoky vocals like an old Cuban blowing smoke rings.
This is another one of those albums where the music although good plays a definite second fiddle to the lyrics and vocals. The rest of the band (at the time of recording) are Adam Rubenstein and Clayton Snyder on guitar, Curtis Mead on Bass and Charles Walker on Drums. They provide a backdrop that slides between mournful and perky, slender and fat, lazy and spry, well you get the idea. Overall you can’t help but feel that all this album really lacks is something that screams feel-good and funky, their ‘Mr. Jones’ if you will, not just for commercial reasons (let’s face it without that track Counting Crows would probably be so obscure Indie Monkey would be reviewing them) but also to give this album more contrast.
Nevertheless the eleven tracks on exhibit here are a testament to good old-fashioned rock songwriting. Tracks like ‘Crush You’, ‘Stars in the Streetlight’ and ‘Racing Cincinnati’ are good enough to transcend genre and influences. This isn’t a perfect album, it needs trimming, pruning and some more inspiring song crafting on a few tracks, What you get is an excellent band with half an album of excellent tracks and half an album of pretty good filler.
I have a feeling that the next album if the timing and production is right could be a genuine classic, and whilst we are waiting for it ‘The Moon My Saddle’ is a more than adequate way to spend some time.

Band Website | Contact Chamberlain | Give Us Feedback on Review