The sunny optimism and joyous theme continues with “Endless Summer.” Accompanied by a percussive polyrhythm and jazzy guitar, the lyrics reminisce fondly about memorable summers from youthful years past.
“Time Capsule” is a psychedelic rocker that is hard to describe. Breezy and jangly, it has a timeless quality to it borne of the 1960s while simultaneously sounding both current and futuristic.
The album’s title track “Blood Moon” has a de-tuned intro that gives way to an alt rock and EDM mashup, with recurring lyrical themes of moonlit skies over a festive fire. While Blood Moon is a nickname of the Hunter’s Moon of October, it typically refers to the moon reddening during a total lunar eclipse, a celestial event that recently occurred in November 2021 and may have served as an inspiration for this album.
“Beach Bum” continues the lackadaisical sandy theme from “Sunny Side Down” and “Dream Inn,” but is less remarkable as it keeps to shallow waters lyrically and in substance.
The synthesizers and sequenced drum machine return in force in “Cool as Ice Cream.” Muir provides smooth 3-part vocal harmonies, accompanied by a rippling synth that seems to melt with the proverbial ice cream while recalling Genesis’s “The Carpet Crawlers”.
“Starcrossed” opens with acoustic guitar which unexpectedly surrenders to an urban R&B anthem with heavy tremolo. While Muir’s instrumentation and vocal style is consistent with the album’s motif, crossing genres into R&B is a bold choice here. In the last minute, “Starcrossed” transforms into a West Coast rap song– not vocally but instrumentally, with a catchy hook and beat that any good rapper could sample and riff on.

The album concludes with the mystical, starry-eyed song “Sundial.” This is by far the most psychedelic track on the album, due to the swirling vocal harmonies, extended delay and acid-drenched guitar, lending from late-era Beatles circa Revolver as well as Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing Shocking. “Sundial” is another adventurous foray into musical territory that lay unexplored until the album’s final moments.

Blood Moon is a stylistically fascinating album. Rock influences from multiple decades are mingled effectively on this release, from the sounds of the ‘60s to progressive and alternative pop to the funk and grunge of the ‘90s. While it contains heavily synthesized sampling and drum machine, the music relies much more on organic instrumentation than on digitized beats. It’s worth noting and easy to forget while listening to Blood Moon that Rob Muir plays all of the instruments himself, and to impressive degree considering the multitude of genres and soundscapes represented. Several tracks would be well-suited for movies or television shows.

The album’s curious protagonist pursues uncharted frontiers both cosmic and ancient, often knowing not what he seeks. His introspective journey is contrasted by rebellious angst as times. Lyrically, Muir spends equal time reminiscing and reflecting on the past as well as looking towards the future: the dawn of a new day, starry skies and beyond.