ALBUM REVIEW: The Big Moon - Forever

The Big Moon have been in orbit of UK indie for some time now. I'd hesitate to call them a legacy band so early in the relative space of 10 years, but the quartet have become staunchly reliable at delivering catchy, joyous pop rock. So, it was surprising to learn that their new album is rooted in worry, fear and tension.

Photo credit: Melanie Lehmann

In 2024, frontwoman Juliette Jackson was diagnosed with a cholesteatoma cyst in her eardrum. Faced with the threat of hearing loss, Jackson pushed through this looming existential possibility and chose to imagine a brighter future instead. ‘Forever’ is the resulting material. 

The excellent ‘Gravity’ starts us off with an injection of funky bass and trashy hi-hats, paired with the washy, ethereal synth work that has always made The Big Moon sound otherworldly. The twee keys of ‘Three Things’ evolve into something more chaotic and ‘Fun’ opens with some dreamy visual storytelling about sunscreen. The bass deserves a particular shout-out here, Celia Archer brings a spiky, laid back approach to the song that really cuts through the wash of the instrumental. 

Determination runs throughout this record, most poignantly on standout track ‘Speed Bump’. The lyric “I used to roll over, now I'm pushing through” is delivered with the quiet confidence of a fighter on their penultimate round. It speaks to the strength needed to exist when the world around you is telling you not to. 

Closing out on ‘Chill’, the band admit that planning for a happy future is just as important as facing an uncertain present. And honestly, if you can be inspired by anything in this record, it should be Jackson's optimism. Because for a band that’s been through a pandemic, new motherhood, and now a life altering diagnosis, The Big Moon still sound as energetic as ever.

Catch The Big Moon on tour this November.