Steve Moss proves that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication through this new release, as it features classic, old fashioned rock tunes with phenomenal songwriting. Feeling as though every song has been carefully curated, it all seems that everything the heart and mind wants to say on paper and eventually through the medium of music is done gracefully.
To be able to perform and put together a ten-track record with little to no assistance from outside sources is legendary. It’s been said that “Another Go” is Moss’ first release in twenty years, marking it his second album in his entire career. All throughout, influences of notable rock bands poke right through, but ultimately, everything belongs to the brilliant mind of Moss himself.
“No Fear” starts right away without much preamble, the first look on the classic rock guitar feel that eventually sticks throughout the whole album. It’s simply yet upbeat; quick progression in terms of rhythm and melody. It emphasizes once having no fear but the realities of the world changing that fact quickly: “Now I don’t need to watch the news to know the world is burning”. The line “When I look into the future, seems like all I see are lies”, because the claim of having no fear is a lie in itself.
One of many things about this record is that it tackles growth and the struggles that come with it. “Twice As Hard As Yesterday”, sounding like technical and old fashioned rock, is about the realization of things gradually getting difficult with time and age, but concludes that love and companionship somehow makes it all easier to bear. “Lost Along The Way” has this roadtrip-esque feel, with the line “I need to be not the only one lost along the way” being about the insecurity of not being able to catch up with others. It is generally about being sidetracked during the journey to success.
Moreover, it also contains songs about inner turmoil: “One Less Thing (I Have To Worry About)”, starting with an isolated guitar riff, narrates on changing the flaws he sees within himself. It also features a line about the automatic act of coping, as seen in the following lyrics, “…Here’s the part where I apply a cynical device to pad my prison / it’s just a reflex I rely upon a bit too hard in my lousy system”. It’s honestly a clever way of putting it. “Silver Day”, on the other hand, reflects on somber feelings, more on lost time, with the title itself referring to a time of such: “15 years, seems that I just gave away / Honestly, the thing that bothers me is the way it changed”.
Just when you think this album has discussed it all, it also tackles the theme of love, as seen in “Overgrown”, which is addressed to someone who understands the narrator deeper than they would’ve thought as they look pass their overt traits, thinking of them as more, “Gun-Shy”, a catchy song that talks about vulnerability, especially as a man when it comes to rejection, and “My Darling”, an acoustic track that is not too complicated, and features lyrics that are sure to stick with the listeners quite easily.
“Parallel” seemingly has traces of ingenuity, maybe in infidelity or just the lack of communication between a couple, as seen through lines like “Hoping that no one will be any wiser / holding each other can feel like lying”. This album gives light to both sides of a feeling, and it gives more depth to it overall. The last track, “Exhausted”, is an extensive narration about the feeling of exhaustion, elaborately showcasing how it figuratively and literally feels like. It talks about seeking rest, and it features a catchy outro as a sendoff.
It’s rock, but not overly rock with endless riffs and solos. This album does have them, but are distributed sparingly, making sure to give emphasis to the lyrics and the overall message each song has to offer. All in all, it has The Beatles or Oasis vibes, but just a touch; it still comprises moments and melodies that will make you tilt your head just by how unique and new it sounds.
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About the Author
Kate Clarice Lee is a psychology major in Ateneo de Naga University with a knack for music and writing. She takes interest in playing guitar, poetry, creative writing, and lyrics that—subjectively—hit close to home. Kate mostly enjoys indie, alternative, pop & punk rock music.
