Moving Mountains “Pneuma” (Self-Released)
DOWNLOAD HERE! (album only available digitally)
Pneuma is an album that could see a wide range of music listeners coming together. Moving Mountains combines the emo rock elements of a band like Brand New with the instrumental prowess of a powerful post-rock band. It is quite similar in sound to what the great Appleseed Cast have created on numerous albums. While Moving Mountains might not be quite at that creative pinnacle just yet, the band comes admirably close on Pneuma. Either way you look at it, Moving Mountains have created a tremendous debut here.
What Moving Mountains are so adept at on Pneuma are bridging musical gaps. Moving Mountains have created a completely modern record that is still obviously indebted to its past. It is vocally reminiscent of Brand New, lyrically reminiscent of Mineral and instrumentally reminscent of The Appleseed Cast. I am also reminded of the spacier parts of Fairweather’s incredibly underrated farewell album, Lusitania. Fans that liked the direction Fairweather was headed on that album should find a great deal to love about Pneuma. The album is incredibly ambitious in its scope. The band never once lets their songs feel any type of constrictions. Lengths, tempos and textures vary a great deal from song to song. Instrumentally, the band is quite adventurous as well. Many of the songs on Pneuma are highlighted by ample horns and xylophones that add a great deal to the album’s overall feel. Pneuma is quite simply a stunning collision of post-rock and emo the likes rarely seen.
It certainly can be argued that Moving Mountains are not doing too much new here. However, the band does a remarkable job of recreating a sound (with some definite modern twists) that many of us older bucks hold close and dear to our hearts. If you loved bands like the ones mentioned in this review, well, Moving Mountains are certainly for you. Pneuma simply takes you back in time to when emo wasn’t such a dirty word.
RIYL: The Appleseed Cast, Brand New, Mineral
The Roots Lower The Stems
www.myspace.com/movingmountainsmusic
on Apr 23rd, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Wow, nice call. This MP3 is super cool. It does remind me of Brand New in the beginning, but then the horns come in and it sounds a bit more original. I like the ending instrumentation as well, they created an awesome atmosphere. On top of that they’ve got a great band name and a nice album cover.
on May 8th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Hi! I’m from Poland and I think that Moving Mountains’ Pneuma is one of the best album I’ve ever listened to.
on Jul 6th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
this reviewer is a pussy.
on Jul 6th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
on Mar 19th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
[…] a fabulous press quote! Hard to believe I reviewed Moving Mountains‘ Pneuma almost a year ago now. It’s nice to see Deep Elm embracing their roots with the release of […]