In December, shortly after releasing a career-spanning compilation album, "Echoes From the Past," venerable Oregon garage rockers Dead Moon announced their breakup after almost 20 years together. Powered by the live-wire energy of mid-'60s garage rock and cutting their records on the same ancient mono lathe that the Kingsmen used to cut "Louie Louie," Dead Moon came along far too late to have any chance of widespread popularity, but their unbridled enthusiasm and legendary touring schedule gained them some high-profile fans (Pearl Jam covered the band's "It's OK" live in concert) and a devoted cult following in both the Pacific Northwest and Europe. In retrospect, the band's Old World popularity makes a certain kind of sense: Dead Moon had a keen appreciation for classic forms, as the chugging rhythm and snaky blues lick of "Dead Moon Night" well proves.
-- D.M.
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