Erro showcase their enduring positivity and unwavering authenticity on their thoughtful debut album Strawberry Moon
With a sound that borrows from a range of different time periods and styles, alternative rock outfit Erro are a band that have a really distinctive appeal and a sound that they have honed across a musical journey that champions instrument-driven compositions and emotional authenticity. The release of their debut album Strawberry Moon is the most complete and cohesive showcase of their sound and appeal to date, and is packed full of the kind of nuance and cham that they embody.
The album opens with title track ‘Strawberry Moon’, a thoughtful track that explores the softer side of their sound. The potent refrain of “when I close my eyes you’re all I see” underscores the emotion undercurrent of a track that is awash with stirring pianos and heartfelt vocals, immediately giving the album a core that resonates and feels authentic.
This rousing and thoughtful charm bleeds into tracks like ‘Golden’ and ‘Come In Slow’, two tracks that continue to display heart-on-sleeve emotion and the kind of resonating narratives that stick with you for long after your listen. The band’s sound does a great job of capturing the essence and feel of sounds of the 60s and 70s while giving it a more modern approach and feel stylistically, from the offset that hybrid appeal is felt through all facets of their style.
The moving ‘Red Dragon Purple Wing’ follows, a slow-burning, atmospheric track that allows its instrumentation room to breathe and gradually develop into the engrossing and captivating displays that we know they’re capable of, making for a track that moves at its own pace and feels all stronger for it, especially once the synths are introduced and push their way to the forefront.
One of the album’s most emotionally charged and heartfelt moments emerges in the form of ‘That Way’, a track where the vocals and lyrics take centre stage in a declaration of love in spite of the chaos and hardship that often comes as a result, whereas things kick into an enthralling cocktail of upbeat instrumentation and eclectic ideas on ‘La Mia Dea 2.0’.
‘Wild Day’ lives up to its name with more creative instrumentation, especially through its virtuoso guitar playing and the almost chanted vocal style that had shades of somebody like Mike Patton at times, with ‘Holding On’ providing a sharp contrast with its sweet, whistled melodies and the charming, laid-back love song of a narrative. These tracks, as with the rest of the album, do an incredible job of showcasing the sheer range and depth of the band while maintaining a cohesive feel the album that makes sense, making for an engrossing journey of a listen that is full of surprises and fun.
The dreamy appeal of ‘Into Me’ and its lush, laid-back tones is underscored by a romance that feels uncertain, with the repeated refrain in the chorus of “you gotta get into me, I want you to want me” having a kind of pleading feel to it that many listeners will resonate with, evoking the feeling of when things are going so well but you can’t exactly pin down what the other person is thinking.
The softness of ‘Ghost of You’ and quirky moments like the clicks and oooos make for a track with an instant sense of warmth and wholesome feel, and once again, the track utilises synths wonderfully to double down on this feeling and aid its uplifting and thoughtful narrative in feeling as charming as possible.
The album reaches its conclusion with ‘Shine’, it provides a really nice moment of reflection which feels deserved following an album that is so packed full of different ideas and moments. There seems to be a theme throughout the album of persevering positivity and uplifting charm, and the authenticity that the band bring with their sound and the deliberate ways that they produce their sound only aid this even further, making for an album that feels as rewarding and earnest as anything that you could hope to hear anytime soon, facing life’s pitfalls, successes and failures with an enduring sense of honesty and passion.
