Despite its title and cover featuring a nightscape on the shore, Melancholy Moon is ease-in-to-the-day morning music.
It’s the ninth LP - plus a few standalone singles - from Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer. But like most of Spencer’s recent output, there’s nothing blue about the instrumental Melancholy Moon; just the sound of a musician at late-career peace making soothing music for himself and whomever else might be interested in hearing it.
Built upon light-touch electric slide, acoustic and bass guitars, piano, melodica and occasional drums, the eight songs come in just under the half-hour mark. Spencer makes his axe sound like a shore bird on “Seagull over Sligo” and adds a touch of C&W lilt to “Tears in the Glen.”
It’s sparse, short and similar to other recent LPs. Melancholy Moon is nevertheless one of the most comforting and enjoyable of the bunch.
