Song of the Day: The Soft Moon - Insides

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today's selection, featured on the Afternoon Show with Kevin Cole, is "Insides" by The Soft Moon from the 2012 album Zeros on Captured Tracks.

The Soft Moon - Insides (MP3)

In case you haven't dipped into this great San Francisco act yet, The Soft Moon hail back to the noisy, reverberated days of the 1980s (much like many other excellent Captured Tracks bands). But what sets The Soft Moon apart are what Luis Vasquez chooses to draw from within that decade. No eternally melancholy shoegaze noise here - Vasquez is all about the longing goth textures of Faith era The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Bauhaus, and early Love & Rockets. With the 2010 self-titled LP, Vasquez gave us a hint of what he had to offer in terms of sound and scope. But with Zeros, we get a better picture of the dark, looming landscape of The Soft Moon's universe.

"Insides" is an excellent offering from this great record. Right off the top, we hear that noisy, striking Love & Rockets snare, followed by the watery bass and minimalist guitar combo that defined the Cure on tunes like "Seventeen Seconds", "Faith", and "Last Dance". It's a delightful flashback, but Vasquez doesn't rely on the throwbacks for all of his appeal. He's taken all of these sounds and created a darker, distorted new world of his own where the Soft Moon can make goth cool again. His muted, pained coo holds all of the tension and emotion that you could ask for in a track like this. Altogether, "Insides" is a powerful introduction to The Soft Moon and will delight any fan of the band, Captured Tracks, or the aforementioned 80s bands.

Unfortunately, you just missed The Soft Moon in Seattle, as they played Barboza on December 19, but you can listen to their in-studio session soon our our Streaming Archive. Find out more information about The Soft Moon on their website or Facebook page. For now, here's