This band don’t imitate the past, they channel its spirit through a warped, modern lens. From thunderous psychedelic grooves and fuzz-soaked guitar riffs through crisp modern blues to intimate, fractured vocals, The Lunar Effect channel the unease of the modern world with a sound that refuses to sit still…The band was formed in London in 2017 by brothers Jon and Dan Jefford and later completed by vocalist Josh Neuwford, bassist Brett Halsey, and eventually second guitarist Mark Fuller. Since their arrival on the scene, they’ve carved out a reputation for crafting music that feels both familiar and original – a modern echo of grunge-soaked ’70s rock, fuzzed-out blues, and melancholic British soul.
Following the underground success of 2019’s Calm Before the Calm, the band signed with Svart Records and released the critically praised sophomore album Sounds of Green & Blue in 2024. After touring the album across the UK and Europe, they set their sights on album #3, their most ambitious work to date. Fortune’s Always Hiding has just landed, it’s a brooding journey through loss, memory, and the weight of time. It also marks a new era for the band in that it’s deeper, stranger, and more soul-baring than ever – but much more varied and accessible.
Feed The Hand opens the album, and sets the tone for what’s to come – uncomfortable, deliberate, and heavy with implication. It reaches back with one hand, grabbing a fistful of early 70’s Sabbath vibes and 90’s grungy nostalgia, but wedded to a modern, high energy groove. There’s weight here, but it’s not theatrical, it’s cathartic and satisfyingly powerful. A quiet reckoning fed by the band’s influences, serving up a whole new dish to the table. I particularly like the cleanliness of the middle section.
Watchful Eye continues that same note of early 70’s heavy psych-rock, it’s a cracker of a riff that I feel like I’ve heard before (several times) on samplers of Underground bands from that era, but its simultaneously so fresh-fuzzy and cleanly recorded. Pacey and powerful, continuing the promise. Five And Two ups the energy levels further, again reminding me of early Sabbath, especially with that gorgeous express-train rhythm being belted out, not too mention some very tasty lead bluesy lines – a really strong track.
Talking of the blues, the next one is My Blue Veins, pure slow blues, solemn, darker, moody and melancholic but extremely listenable, and more swooping bluesy licks, showing how much this band have matured. Stay With Me continues in the same vein (heh!), another bluesy ballad with delicate guitar notes, gentle piano work and a soulful singing performance all create a poignant, wistful number that’s extremely easy on the ear. Topped with lovely little guitar then piano solos, it’s a real showcase of the band’s musical abilities.
We are then launched almost rudely into the album’s second single, Settle Down. Meaty, bombastic, grungy, this one somehow reminded me of The Bends-era Radiohead in its transitions from rifferama to restrained delicacy, but welded to a slab of Soundgarden! That description might sound weird but the end result is a grunge classic. An excellent single and a great showcase of where the band are now at.
The contrast with the next track I Disappear couldn’t be greater, and this feels very deliberate. The longest track on the album, it’s an introspective ballad with vocalist Josh Neuwford almost crooning to start with, a sparse piano-led arrangement gradually building into a beefier rock finale. As a microcosm of the album, the song reflects the often painful journey these guys have been on – and hopefully have emerged from.
A New Moon Rises takes us back to Doors-tinged weirdness, a heavy, threatening sort of occult-rock vibe? Very atmospheric, a good sense of tension permeating through it, driven by some solid fuzz-riffs and then topped by another classy piece of lead guitar from Jon Jefford – and I must highlight the power of brother Dan’s drumming here. Scotoma ramps up the energy stakes with a melodic slab of stoner, these guys do offer so much variety within the one songset – you’re always intrigued what they’re going to come up with next! Here, we’ve got group harmonies on top on the fuzz, and it works a dream.
Nailed To The Sky is a sad, slow, blues-soaked affair, within a beautifully crisp mix that highlights every different instrument. It kind of morphs into more of a stoner number, reminding you just how close neighbours stoner and modern blues are. Powerful stuff. Tomorrow Comes Too Soon continues this wicked blend of powerful fuzz and soulful, melancholic, blues rock, it showcases strong vocals, a rock-solid rhythm section, classy restrained piano notes, hugely impressive guitar work, turning it into an anthemic “wave yer lighter” show stopper, an apt closing track for an extremely strong album.
Fortune’s Always Hiding is a wonderfully varied album, it will appeal to a broad church of rock fans. I’m genuinely surprised as to how good the whole affair is, by some distance their most accomplished affair to date. The sheer variety of compositional styles underpinned by a superbly clean, crisp mix and production – not to mention the sheer quality of the musicianship – means that this album ought to propel the band into the Premier League of rock!
2026 promises more touring, more evolution, and no interest in standing still. For a band that’s never fit neatly into any box, The Lunar Effect continue building their own universe — one hypnotic, heavy track at a time. Fortune’s Always Hiding is now available on Svart exclusive Cream/Red/Orange marble vinyl, limited Transparent Green vinyl, Black vinyl, CD, and digital platforms.
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