Can You Really Find Me, the third LP release from American rock group Night Moves, is enjoyably inconsequential. There are hooks, grooves and an overall luscious production to it, but nothing that stands out as innovative or striking. In the same way, nothing irks or drags or misses the mark; if the mark is plain ol’ rock music.
Opener Mexico has a gorgeous tonality, decorated with airy synths and some heavy-reverb guitar lines. Saving The Dark has a beautiful old-timey feel, from the more melodic part of 60s rock. It’s structured like a country song, but oozes Motown lilts throughout. Both songs, however, after further listens, sit nicely in the background of your attention.
Angelina is a familiar-sounding country love song and Ribboned Skies is a gritty, spacey piece of psychedelic rock that chugs along with airs of Led Zeppelin and The Beatles.
Largely, though, it’s an album that leaves you sitting on the fence. Bar the opener, everything is just fine – the musical equivalent of taking a nap and waking up similarly tired. Sure, dozing off into that spongey suspended consciousness was nice and it is always good to take a moment for yourself, but it didn’t do anything; it was of no benefit.
Which is not to sound harsh. Plenty of worthwhile things are of no benefit, like the Marvel movie franchise or afternoon tea. And like those, Can You Really Find Me let’s you chill out and get mildly stimulated to avoid the unsettling reality of existence.
But this grand set of tunes leaves an indifferent impression. Another three-star review in the endless pile of three-star reviews. Another band to play gigs that people chat during, sporadically going to the bar. Not everything has to be grab-you-by-the-balls-spit-in-your-face-punch-you-in-the-gut fantastic, sure. But do we need more of this?