Salt (Half Moon Run album)
| Salt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 2, 2023 | |||
| Length | 41:13 | |||
| Label | Bertelsmann Music Group | |||
| Producer | Connor Seidel | |||
| Half Moon Run chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Salt | ||||
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Salt is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Half Moon Run. It was released on June 2, 2023, on Bertelsmann Music Group. This is the first album not to feature ex-member Issac Symonds since the band's debut in 2012.
Composition and recording
[edit]The process of making the album supposedly started with 50 to 60 demos that were sifted through.[1]
Some of the songs were written during the COVID-19 pandemic, but many were also old songs from before and during the Dark Eyes era that had been shelved and reworked.[2] "Alco", "Hotel in Memphis", "9beat", and "Dodge the Rubble" were all said to be over a decade old, with the first 3 being particularly difficult songs to record.[3]
Another difficulty is that the band's best ideas would come about around 10 minutes before curfew during the COVID lockdowns in Montreal, only giving the band a very narrow window to record their ideas.[1]
Critical reception
[edit]Clash magazine gave the album an 8/10 saying the album "is like a delicate spring breeze on a morning walk, never invasive but always subconsciously refreshing."[2] Exclaim Magazine said it's "immaculately sequenced body of work that maintains momentum throughout and pieces together threads from the international journey of their decade-plus career."[4] Also Cool Magazine described an "enchanting, whimsical vibe to it"[5] When The Horn Blows thought it was "beautifully sorrowful and comforting".[6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Clash Magazine | 8/10 |
Tack listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Half Moon Run.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You Can Let Go" | 3:06 |
| 2. | "Alco" | 3:48 |
| 3. | "Hotel in Memphis" | 3:36 |
| 4. | "Everyone's Moving Out East" | 4:12 |
| 5. | "9beat" | 4:06 |
| 6. | "Dodge the Rubble" | 3:52 |
| 7. | "Heartbeat" | 3:24 |
| 8. | "Gigafire" | 3:28 |
| 9. | "Goodbye Cali" | 4:27 |
| 10. | "Salt" | 4:01 |
| 11. | "Crawl Back In" | 3:08 |
| Total length: | 41:13 | |
Personnel
[edit]Half Moon Run
- Devon Portielje – lead vocals, guitar, piano, percussion
- Conner Molander – backing vocals, guitar, keyboard, piano, pedal steel, bass, harmonica
- Dylan Phillips – backing vocals, drums, piano, keyboard
Additional personnel
- Connor Seidel – engineer, mixing, producer
- Chris Shaw – mixing
- Dylan Phillips – arrangement
- Antoine Gratton – arrangement
- Ryan Morey – mastering
- Camille Paquette-Roy – cello
- The Esca String Quartet – strings
- Jennifer McCord – album photography
- Alex Tomlinson – layout
References
[edit]- ^ a b MacIntyre, Dave (2023-06-01). "Why Montreal's Half Moon Run are the salt of the earth". Cult MTL. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
- ^ a b Interviews, Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews &; ClashMusic (2023-06-02). "Half Moon Run - Salt | Reviews". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Half Moon Run Speak on Sparkling New Album 'Salt'". The Music Enthusiast blog. Retrieved 2025-07-06.
- ^ "Exclaim!'s Staff Picks: Half Moon Run Are Having More Fun Than Ever on 'Salt' │ Exclaim!". Exclaim!'s Staff Picks: Half Moon Run Are Having More Fun Than Ever on 'Salt' │ Exclaim!. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
- ^ "Half Moon Run's Salt and the Beauty of Everyday Miseries (BMG)". Also Cool Mag. 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
- ^ "Album Review: Half Moon Run - 'Salt'". When The Horn Blows. 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2025-07-06.