Roma di Luna – Then The Morning Came (Independent)
The sound of a very young child in the mix disturbs the opening track “Baby Hotel”, but with a title like that I guess they can be forgiven, though it hardly adds to the mood when you are just settling down to listen to a new album (Channy Moon Casselle does explain that her recently born daughter was in her arms for most of the time the album was being made, so at least the reason for it is bone fide, although it is still a little self-indulgent to foist it on the listener just for posterity’s sake, don’t you think?).

Once past this track the blues shares the limelight with some stunning folk / Americana. “Mars” takes over with a blues template, but up-tempo, with almost a gospel tinge to the proceedings. The pure folk of “Starling” follows, a haunting number that is quite beautifully delivered, and then a classic Americana song “The Moonlight Is Ours” - if it ain’t classic yet it soon will be.

It is refreshing to hear the blues infused songs sung by someone like Channy Moon Casselle, whose voice is hardly one that you would associate with such material. It works, though, as does the big band number “Before I Die”, cropping up at the mid-point of the album. The album, having a good mix of genres, is a plus, as is the material, with all ten tracks written by either Channy, or husband Alexei. For me, it’s the Americana that wins the day, the aforementioned “Starling” and the equally gorgeous “Below Our Feet”, which has a stunning arrangement that really shows how vital the band was to the making of the record.

So, from a duo to a six-piece band in five years, and from an EP to a third album, the journey has no doubt been a long one, but it surely has been worth it, and long may it continue.
www.myspace.com/romadiluna

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