Ex-Black Nielson frontman Mike Gale and his Winchester/Oxford collective return with eclectic indie-alt-prog opus "Moon Lagoon", their 4th album in 4 years. Opening track 'Turn It Around' is a clear statement of intent. Gentle acoustic strums swept along by synth and then blown away by power-fuzz guitar; a different Co-pilgrim to the harmony-pop exponents of yore, grittier and more robust, informed by past travails yet resolute and optimistic in pursuit of the yearned-for mythical utopia of the 'moon lagoon'. Both the second song, 'You'll Look Pretty As a Picture When The Acid Rain Hits Ya' and title track, 'Moon Lagoon' feed 90s American alt-rock through Copilgrim's pop filter. However, it is first single and album centre-piece 'Cylindrical Fire Escapes' which really showcases the ambition of the record; producer & multi-instrumentalist Joe Bennett paints an ethereal soundscape of swirling synths and chiming guitars, driven by Andy Reaney's rolling bass and bursts of pulsating rhythm from drummer/percussionist Mike Monaghan (Willie J Healey, Gaz Coombes, Man Without Country, Ralfe Band), and beautifully transcended at the finale by Claire Bennett's soaring vocals. Side 2 is more introverted, the delicately heartstring-tugging 'Thank My Stars", preceding the baroque-pop of 'I'm Not A Wallflower I'm The Wall' which then opens out into the weary psychedelia of 'Digging Holes In The Whites Of Your Eyes'. Gale's lyrical dexterity is as usual to the fore, underscoring a sophistication developed through years of honing his craft as a songwriter and a keen ear for a memorable tune.
