{grate 1.5} You generally shouldn’t judge an album by its cover, but for
Luna Halo we’ll make an exception. Screaming with unoriginality, Luna Halo’s
movie counterpart would undoubtedly be novel-gone-film “Eragon”; barely
tolerable, full of shit we have seen at least a hundred times over, and aimed
at a crowd who doesn’t know better. With song titles like “I’m Alright,” “On My
Way” and “Falling Down,” it’s not like we weren’t warned.
Sure to have preteens across the globe screaming for more,
the
album consists of lyrics that hit home with religious followers of the
Pop/Rock/Emo hybrid sound. With an attitude of “why change something that
already sells,” Luna Halo’s lyrics are teeming with an incoherence that doesn’t
even attempt to form a deeper message. Examples of such musical gems found
throughout: “I could give you everything/But would that be what you want?” and
“I’m on my way/There’s not a doubt in my mind/Make no mistake/ the time is
passing me by” (translated: I have no idea what I’m saying, but hopefully my
conviction and screaming will assure you that I do.)
The generic topics of drugs, love, pain, love and more pain
are all highlighted, producing such uniform songs that the listener is unsure
when one starts and another ends, defeating any attempt to find a high or low
point within the album. With so few redeeming qualities, it’s almost a wonder
how Luna Halo managed to score inclusion in a hockey commercial, let alone put
out a sophomore release.
Despite the cliched lyrics and unoriginal package, Luna Halo
still delivers an album that contains smooth singing and a groovy beat that you
can shake to. Sadly, any chance of the album receiving a passing grade is
pissed on by frontman Nathan Barlowe, who seems determined to tailor lyrics and
song titles to the almost-emo, musically confused tween crowd. Sorry Barlowe,
Fall Out Boy has that market cornered.
