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Oct 02, 2017 Web Exclusive By Matt the Raven

It may not be widely known, but Mister Heavenly already have some serious indie rock cred. Not only from their most excellent 2011 debut Out of Love, but also by boasting three indie rock veterans in Nicholas Thorburn (Islands), Ryan Kattner (Man Man), and Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, The Shins) ,whose body of work speaks for itself.

While they may not qualify as a supergroup, they have an intestinal fortitude super power to eschew conventional rock wisdom and construct peculiar pop tunes rich in bouncy rhythms with crisp bass lines and bursts of energetic keyboards and tight guitar riffs.

Included in the sharp songwriting is a clever lyrical wit sung by both Thorburn and Kattner. Often taking turns on lead vocals, each complements the other by bringing a unique charisma that fits the shifting musical styles and advances the rich character of the compositions.

Avoiding easy categorization, the sleek and vibrant indie rock takes many shapes including the breezy Caribbean island feel of “Crazy Love, Vol. III,” the garage punk of “Dead Duck,” the prog-like rhythms of “Pink Cloud Compression,” and a Modest Mouse meets The Long Winters sound of “Beat Down.”

This is the wild, wonderful, and wacky world of Mister Heavenly. They have a knack for harnessing their whimsical energy while combining tight little nuggets of sound with various fragments from different styles and genres creating something entirely different that is exciting and fresh. Boxing the Moonlight is an exuberant journey through a hip musical funhouse proving that Mister Heavenly really is a super group. (www.misterheavenlyband.com)

Author rating: 8/10