Moaning - Uneasy Laughter (LP)

Los Angeles trio Moaning took a sharp turn with their second record, Uneasy Laughter, and it suits them. Out in March 2020 on Sub Pop, it arrived just as the world went quiet, which almost felt like fate. The band shifted from the fuzz and clang of their debut toward something sleeker and more synthetic, where the synths do as much heavy lifting as the guitars. Producer Alex Newport keeps everything taut and punchy, so the edges gleam rather than blur.

What grabs you first is the clarity. Sean Solomon sings with a crisp, unguarded voice that cuts through the mix. He has spoken about getting sober and reassessing friendships before making the album, and you can hear that reckoning across these songs. The lyrics poke at patterns, pride and self-sabotage, but they never sink into doom. Instead they ride on nervy hooks and clean lines that feel closer to New Order than to the band’s earlier shoegaze bruisers. The single Ego is the mission statement. A rolling bass figure snakes under glassy keys, while the chorus hits with the most direct pop rush they’ve ever pulled off. Fall In Love follows the thread with a tighter gait and one of those choruses that seems to turn a light on in the room.

It’s a record about control. The rhythm section locks in like a metronome, yet the songs keep blooming around them, little synth arpeggios fluttering in and out, guitars chiming in bright, precise shapes. You can almost picture the band paring everything back in the studio, choosing a colder keyboard tone over another guitar overdub, giving the vocals extra space. Newport has a reputation for sharpening bands without sanding off personality, and you hear that here. Every snare snap lands. Every bass note feels intentional, often carrying as much melody as the leads.

Sequence matters on Uneasy Laughter, and it rewards a top-to-tail listen. Side A feels like the push, the heart rate rising. Side B has more room to breathe and brood. The shift in palette lets Moaning sneak in small emotional details that once got buried in distortion. When Solomon sings about being tired of his own reflection, it lands lighter and somehow heavier, the clarity making the discomfort feel honest rather than bleak. The synth choices are tasteful too. No retro kitsch, just tones that serve the songs. Think cool blues and greys rather than neon.

The timing of the release meant the band couldn’t roll these songs out on stage the way they deserved, which is a shame. Still, the record found a life online and on turntables. Critics at places like Pitchfork and Stereogum dug into the band’s pivot, noting the tightened songwriting and the way the production lets the melodies shine. Fans who loved the noise found plenty to hang onto, and newcomers heard a smart, modern take on post-punk that doesn’t just ape its elders. There’s a sense of purpose here that makes the whole thing stick.

If you’re the kind of listener who files Joy Division, DIIV and early Cure together, this will slide in neatly. But Moaning aren’t copyists. They use the same building blocks and arrive at something clean and contemporary, with a Los Angeles melancholy that lingers after the needle lifts. Speaking of needles, the Uneasy Laughter vinyl pressing does the record favours. The low end feels firm, the synths sit just right, and the vocals stay focused. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to flip back to side A as soon as side B clicks out.

Hunting around Melbourne for it is half the fun. Any good Melbourne record store with a Sub Pop section will point you straight to it, but it’s easy to buy Moaning records online if you’re not near a brick-and-mortar spot. If you’re collecting Moaning albums on vinyl, this is the keeper that shows the band growing up in real time. And if you’re browsing vinyl records Australia wide, pop Moaning vinyl into your search and let this one be your entry point. Uneasy Laughter vinyl belongs on the shelf next to the sharp-edged stuff you spin when the night needs a little electricity. It’s lean, catchy and quietly bruised, a snapshot of a band catching their reflection and deciding to step forward anyway.