Moaning - 'Uneasy Laughter'

7/10

After delivering their hotly-tipped self-titled debut album in 2018, LA-based outfit Moaning were riding a strong and confident wave of praise that reassured them that their work to date hadn't been in vain. As a trio of young men trying to establish themselves in the thriving post-punk scene, their first effort was a bold and brash mix of hedonism and overt masculinity that ended up seeing frontman Sean Solomon turn to sobriety in the aftermath, in search of finding his true writing self. That is what we experience on their eagerly-awaited follow-up 'Uneasy Laughter', a record that sees them confront their truest intentions.

As it turns out, synthesisers seem to have been what they had been missing all along as this sophomore collection seems to bring them out more than they had previously. But rather than just throw them onto most tracks for the hell of it, the keys on this release are tightly woven into the fabric of their new direction, giving us a far more haunted and self-exploratory full-length. While many compared their early work to My Bloody Valentine, 'Uneasy Laughter' sits far more familiar with The Cure as they look to broaden their musical horizons and create a return that breathes a strong dose of diversity into their sound.

While it may not have the same instant power and energy of their debut, 'Uneasy Laughter' is a fresh and vibrant return from a band we always knew would be able to deliver the goods once again. An absolute must-hear for post-punk fans and even manages to appeal to a more mainstream audience in the process.

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