released December 2, 2022

=== REVIEWS ===

"If it weren’t for the fact that Rusted Rail’s main protagonists were tucked up in and around Galway, Ireland, far from this Concrete Islands satellite enclave, then this scribe might be slightly suspicious they hadn’t been sneaking inside to make cheeky mixtapes from cherished sections of his record collection in the middle of the night.

Astutely digging into some rich sonic strata from the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, this full-length debut from Moving Statues – partnering co-leads Keith Wallace (Loner Deluxe, Cubs, A Lilac Decline) with Brian Kelly (So Cow) and featuring visiting vocals from the ever charming Cecilia Danell (A Lilac Decline, Loner Deluxe, Cubs) – serves up a diverse DIY feast. Following on from two preceding still-fresh digital-only EPs – key parts of which are reprised within – You Look Like You’ve Seen a Ghost mixes up sideways songcraft and instrumental detours with contagious self-confidence.

Thus, spooling through the song-based parts of the cassette/digital collection, we find two Kelly-voiced tracks (“Run Out” and “Time Signatures”) unknowingly and balmily recalling the first two sublime Rocket Girl-dispensed albums from 1999 and 2000 by Philadelphia’s much-missed Mazarin; Wallace’s sole solo-voiced number “New Year’s Eve on Mirror Lake” tangling-up J Mascis in Grandaddy’s studio cables; and the Danell-fronted “Sad Dog in the Rain”, “Hold Your Horse” and “Broken Headphones” beautifully envisioning Madder Rose’s Mary Lorson working with members of Stereolab and Yo La Tengo, in varying configurations.

The wordless cuts aren’t flimsy filler moments either, as we’re led through the delightfully fuzzy “Wooden Sleepers” and the wobbly effervescent “Square Castle Smoke” (which curiously also mirror the wordless interludes found on the aforementioned Mazarin LPs); the most languid side of Eternal Tapestry via “Harmonic Hills” and “Moving Statues Go Raven”; the blissful Six Organs of Admittance electro-acoustics across “Cards”; and the woozy synthscaping of “The Wreck of the PT280”.

Beguiling stuff, from a label consistently delivering quality goods from its collectivist creators." - Concrete Islands

"Moving Statues is a collaboration between Rusted Rail artists Brian Kelly (so Cow) and Keith Wallace (Loner Deluxe). Beginning in 2019, the project involved the exchange of files and e-mails plus a host of instruments both electronic and acoustic meaning the sonic palette is both wide and engaging throughout the project.

Kicking off with the ‘Town and Country EP’, we find the duo sounding like a playful Super Furry Animals with a Joy Division bass line as ‘Broken Headphones’ throbs from the speakers with energy, the soundscape driven by a melodic vocal line and slowly shifting variations to the rhythm. Changing gear, ‘Harmonic Hills’ is a delightful piece of stuttering electronics and sweet guitar, a mellow track that sways gently like a summer meadow. Sounding like a bizarre lo-fi trance track run through a psychedelic blender, ‘Plum Jam’ uses a drum machine to create a solid base for other sounds to stagger and dance above, slightly disorientating, highly enjoyable. To end the EP, ‘the Wreck of the PT280’ is a ambient piece that has a woozy feel in places, drifting electronica that offers yet another side to an EP that is diverse yet cohesive, a good trick if you can do it.

Continuing the fun the ‘Wonders Will Never Cease EP’ opens with ‘New Year's Eve on Mirror Lake’ a sweet Indie tune that reminds me of Pavement, the music displaying a great dynamic flow and washes of noise. As we proceed, ‘Square Castle Smoke’ has some gorgeous rising chords, swirling electronics and an insistent electro beat, whilst ‘Blackberry Jam’ is a dark and distorted piece of sound, rumbling bass suffocating the beats before a guitar joins in striving to add melody to the mix, the tune suddenly becoming sweeter and filled with light, reminding me of early Gorky's, which is never a bad thing. To add a finishing touch, ‘Run Out’ gets the Motorik heart beating, a nod to Kraftwerk swathed in a cloak of Indie goodness ending another fine EP that mirrors the previous and remains highly entertaining.

As luck would have it, ‘Run Out’ the final track on the above EP also opens ‘You Look Like You've Seen a Ghost’ the full length album album from Moving Statues, the collection containing six new tracks plus six remixed versions of songs from the two EP's. The first new song ‘Sad Dog in the Rain’ is rather fabulous, a wistful piece that has some fabulous vocals and a sweet melancholic backing track, One of those tunes that forces you to just listen. Maintaining the quality, ‘Wooden Sleepers’ is a wonderful instrumental that has a Canterbury vibe both gentle and pastoral, a happy tune that will make you smile.

Concentrating on the new tunes, ‘Cards’ displays some wonderful guitar playing and an ear for melody, acoustic notes quietly drifting across the room whilst a sympathetic synths adds texture and even more melody, just beautiful. Changing the soundscape again, ‘Moving Statues Go Raven’ is a slice of moody Psych, a well-chosen sample ushering stuttering percussion, ominous bass and petulant synth lines, the tension high with anticipation until a rumbling sequence and rising guitar change the dynamics again, although the tension remains throughout. Using a more familiar song structure, ‘Time Signatures’ has a slightly unsettling ambience, especially towards the end, whilst the final new song, ‘Hold Your Horses’ has a sweet rolling feel, guitar and vocals combining to create a warm and rather beautiful tune that drifts wonderfully.

In a very satisfying way we end as we began as ‘Broken Headphones’ completes the album, still sounding mighty fine and rounding off a fresh and original set of tunes that should find a wider audience than they probably will. The album will be released early December, EP's available now, go have a listen." - Terrascope