A new single from Moonwood hits that deepening, cinematic contemporary rock sweet spot with flowing guitars, ambient atmospheres and an addictive soundscape.
"Slow Down" feels like a song you've heard in a film somewhere. It has that shine to it that builds from emotional drive and honesty.
The song boasts a vast rock feel and it comes through like an anthemic power ballad of sorts.
It has an impactful and powerful chorus that just sounds massive as the full band comes in and the song becomes a beautifully woven instant classic.
Guitars and vocals swim around you as acoustic serves as its base and electric guitars flow through the songs ether.
This song has the ability to make memories flash through your head and really lets you just get washed away with it. And it feels good to do just that.
There are layers of gorgeous textures that come together and by the end of the track you are chanting "Who do you think you are" along with the band.
It also gives it an arena rock style and almost does have that live performance tonality to it.
The song comes with a music video that shows the lyrics and its colors line right up with the aesthetic of the track itself.
With such a killer single, we wanted to have a chat with Moonwood to talk about where this actually came from and what may be next for the band.
RAG: Let's start with "Slow Down". This track has a really a vibrant and almost anthemic feel to it. Where did this track come from?
Moonwood: The song narrates a struggling relationship, the tension surrounding conflict and striving for repair. Touching on the differences of two individuals, the song speaks of love, patience and tolerance, sonically building throughout and reflecting the tension in the relationship. The relatable track navigates the need to resolve and repair the miscommunication between two lovers, which is a result of their unspoken issues and individual contrasts
RAG: I'm hearing undertones of rock, singer songwriter and more! Who are some of your actual biggest musical influences?
Moonwood: The band as a whole we love kings of Leon, the National, and snow patrol.
RAG: So how did all of this start for you?
Moonwood: MOONWOOD started out as a conversation with myself (Jake) and Justin (the drummer) about making music together in 2013. We were both studying music at the time and felt like we should do something together.
In 2016 a group of us finally got together for a jam at a rehearsal room to give it a go. I had invited a friend to play keys to see if he was a good fit. It was alright but the guy wasn’t too interested. The funniest part is that Aaron (Justin’s brother who’s a keys player) was actually there that night just to hang out.
Afterwards Aaron hinted at the idea of playing in the band and so from the second jam he was solidified as a part of the band.
From there we cycled through a few guitarists and bass players until one day we reached out to Paul (guitarist) and invited him to play at a rehearsal. Paul clicked with the group and kept on playing with the crew.
In 2019 the band went through a period of inactivity while some of the boys did important things like travel overseas and a few got married.
In early 2020, Justin and I got together and started writing again.
At this point Justin reached out to a friend, Grant Konemann, to talk about recording and producing some tracks.
Grant could see some potential in the demo songs and proposed organising a music getaway to write and record out over in Capertee which is like 6 hours west from Sydney.
At this point we reached out to Will, who at the time was in our circle of friends, to play bass.
10 days on a farm in a small solar powered house in the middle of winter. The intention was to write and record 4 or 5 songs but the end results looked more like 10 songs and a brand new direction. This was the birthplace of MOONWOOD.
RAG: Can we expect anything more coming from you this year?
Moonwood: We have some shows coming up in the new year which we were pretty excited about.
RAG: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
Moonwood: Aaron fixes air con units for a living, has long luscious hair and has a love for whisky. Justin collects legos, nike air jordans, and runs a small business with his wife. Paul runs a vintage clothing business, and has a wicked mustache. Will loves watching reruns of star wars, slapping the bass, and builds websites for a living. I work for a tech startup, go for runs, and make new material for the band.
RAG: Who are you listening to right now?
Moonwood: Currently 'Take the sadness out of Saturday Night' by the Bleachers, 'Seventeen Going Under' by Sam Fender, and 'Star-Crossed' by Kacey Musgraves.
RAG: This song felt like it was a pretty big undertaking. Is there any advice you'd have for other up and coming artists out there?
Moonwood: Be honest with yourself when you're writing. Don't try to write or be a version of somebody else. The way you communicate is unique and someone out there needs to hear what you have to say.
RAG: Have you given any thought to live performances anytime soon?
Moonwood: Due to the lockdowns here in Sydney we won't be playing any live shows until the new year. But we have a lot of shows coming up in 2022
RAG: How do you write your songs? Is it lyrics first or guitar chords? Its different for everyone. How does it work for you?
Moonwood: It's different every time. With this song, the chords came first and then the lyrics.
RAG: What inspires you to write?
Moonwood: Writing is therapy; it's my way to process my complicated grief from the past. It helps me let out what's going on inwardly.
RAG: You wake up in the middle of the night starving. What's your go-to midnight snack? (a question of character here)
Moonwood: McDonalds chicken strips all the way
RAG: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Moonwood: We love you. Thank you for giving us a shot. We can't wait for you to listen to our new stuff.