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Mmoss

Only Children

(Trouble in Mind; US: 13 Nov 2012; UK: 13 Nov 2012)

Mmoss conjure up a warm and inviting haze of psych-rock.

Mmoss has always been brilliant at balancing the tranquil with the engine-revving side of power pop and that brilliance advances on the group’s second full length release, Only Children. The album serves as a fascinating master class on how to expand a genre in order to fold in non-traditional elements, or to collapse a song into another genre entirely, all while retaining the elements it began with. There are moments of stunning clarity, gorgeous melody, and near-hypnotic ambient washes littered everywhere on Only Children. Mmoss seems to be completely in command of its craft, yet there’s still room for improvement and a lingering desire for the songs to achieve more than they do.


There’s a sense of uncertainty creeping through these songs that matches the band’s aesthetic beautifully but also serves as the record’s main drawback; a lack of complete commitment that’s present in patches. However, the big risks Mmoss takes pay off and make Only Children very worthwhile.

Rating:

Born, raised, and living in the heart of Wisconsin, Steven spends his time toiling away at various entertainment projects whenever the opportunity crosses his path. Putting a lot of time into incessantly writing about entertainment, creating his own, consuming music and music trivia at an alarming rate, and shooting still or moving film at nearly every presented chance has led him here. He frequently contributes reviews and interviews to Playground Misnomer, which can be accessed here: http://www.playgroundmisnomer.com.


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Mmoss - Hands
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