Abbey Moon are four-piece made up of Niall Rowan (formerly Sisteray), Jack (Calvacade), Mick, and Marco. At the end of 2022, they entered the studio with Michael Smith (Elvis Costello / Wolf Alice) to record a few tracks. We take a look at ‘Friends of Mine’ the first release from those sessions.
*image courtesy of Moon Man PR / Credit Albert Jagger
Sisteray’s run from 2016 to 2019 was one garnered a lot of well-earned credibility. Punk angst and lyrical polemic took them to the heart of the underground scene. In this day and age, luck seems to play such big part in whether a band breaks through. ‘Alogrithm Prison’, ‘A Wise Man’, and ‘Wannabes’ were just a few of their fine catalogue that still stacks up to the power of The Blinders and the furious glee of The Reytons.
Alas, it was not meant to be.
In 2023, Sisteray frontman Niall Rowan became disenchanted with the post-punk political grandstanding. A seemingly wise decision as it consumes itself by overloading the scene with spoken word dross.
Rowan has gone back to his roots of melodic indie to find a new source of inspiration on Abbey Moon’s new single ‘Friends of Mine’. Rowan, once the punk Philosopher now dances with Alex Turner’s early social observations lighting up the streets of his youth.
There’s a poetical slant on his social comment which enhances the band’s sonic tenfold. Lyrics and music don’t have to match in meaning but, when Rowan decrees “when your young you can do anything” the guitars skip along sun-kissed horizons whilst the drums saunter through the clouds. Burden? What burden!
Rowan has freed his soul with his new outfit. His time is surely now!