Five years can feel like an eternity. That’s how long it’s been since the release of Adios I’m A Ghost, The Moondoggies’ third LP. The world at large has been through numerous transformations since 2013, so it makes sense that the Everett, Washington-based band’s sound would evolve in their absence. The Moondoggies claim that their forthcoming album A Love Sleeps Deep, out on April 13th through Hardly Art, will be more straightforward rock n’ roll than folk-influenced, punctuated with a more honest approach to lyricism.
“Easy Coming,” the first single from A Love Sleeps Deep, represents that slight shift in tone well. The Moondoggies have retained much of their rootsy sound, with elements of twangy Americana bubbling up throughout the course of a six-minute, raw rock ‘n roll jam. The Moondoggies fill the space of the lengthy track with ambling guitar and organ riffs, exploring the space surrounding the driving rhythm. Singer Kevin Murphy opens the track by singing “Lost my head for a spell/I couldn’t sleep so well/I wouldn’t change a thing/I wouldn’t change a thing,” the latter phrase becoming a refrain of sorts that’s repeated throughout the track. The band may have been gone for a while, and they may be attempting to evolve on A Love Sleeps Deep, but “Easy Coming” proves they’re still The Moondoggies at heart.
The Moondoggies will play their album release show at the Neptune Theatre in Seattle on Friday, April 13th. A Love Sleeps Deep is also currently available for pre-order. Below, watch the video for “Easy Coming.”
