Matt Lowell Finds His Team With Lo Moon
“This is our first time playing in Boise,” Matt Lowell announces from the small stage at the back of The Neurolux in downtown Boise, Idaho, “this is a great place. I’m moving here now; what do we do for fun?” Matt Lowell’s career has been pockmarked by searching for belonging. Lowell began writing songs by himself, in his home state of New York, with the intention of forming a band. While a New York-based group never manifested, a demo for the single “Loveless” did. After a move to Los Angeles, that demo would win over keyboardist Crisanta Baker and guitarist Samuel Stewart leading to the formation of Lo Moon.
Matt Lowell performing with Lo Moon at The Neurolux, photo by April Massey
The group signed with Columbia Records early on, gaining drummer Sterling Laws in the process, but the relationship would never be an entirely fruitful one. The lack of a marketing strategy by the label would cause a confusing air of mystery the band did not want. Two years later, Columbia dropped Lo Moon while they were in the process of finishing their second album, A Modern Life. No longer under the thumb of a major label, Matt Lowell and company relished the chance to release their sophomore album as an independent act.
Hoping to encapsulate the energy of their live shows, Lo Moon switched gears from the ephemeral, dreamy pop-rock of their self-titled debut album to a more guitar-heavy sound. A Modern Life maintains a throughline of nostalgia while creating an atmosphere of hopefulness. Although the band acknowledges relying on grassroots and word-of-mouth marketing takes more time, it also enables fans to have a more intimate connection to the group. A bond that has been further fostered by the band’s monthly newsletter, “Raincoat Chronicles,” which was launched in February of 2021.
With the distinct mission of derailing any remaining mystery, Lo Moon has created the community Matt Lowell had been searching for when he created that first demo. The passion and dedication of Lo Moon’s fans were on full display during the group's recent tour stop in Boise, Idaho. With the energy of the large Thursday night crowd cheering them on, Lo Moon gave a stellar performance that undoubtedly grew their gem state fanbase exponentially. We spoke with lead singer Matt Lowell via phone the day before while the band was on the road. Lo Moon’s sophomore album, A Modern Life, is out now.
AM: You started making music in New York before moving to Los Angeles; is there a difference in inspiration or the way you make music between the two cities?
Crisanta Baker performing with Lo Moon at The Neurolux, photo by April Massey
Matt Lowell: Any time you change environments, new influences seep in. The biggest difference was meeting the rest of the guys in the band. In New York, I was by myself, but when I came out to L.A. I found Sam, Crisanta, and Sterling. That was the most significant difference.
AM: The band has recently shifted from being on a major label to releasing your newest album independently. What was that transition like? What are some of the biggest differences?
Matt Lowell: At first, it was a shock, but then we all got really excited about being able to control our own destiny. When you are on your own label, you call the shots. We became more creative. We got tighter as a band because we started to pay more attention to what was going on and how we wanted to be perceived instead of letting the label dictate our image. It has been much more fun as well for all of us.
AM: Your first album drew comparisons to bands like Roxy Music and the Cocteau Twins, but your latest album is being compared to Radio Head. What inspired the change in sound? Do you think those comparisons are accurate?
Matt Lowell: Do I think they are accurate? Definitely, but I also do not think about it so much in those terms. Before making our first album, we had never really played a live show, but with our second album, we had played over 100 shows, so making a guitar record or something more reflective of the way we played live was definitely the goal.
AM: So switching from a band without a lot of live show experience to a band that is much more versed in playing live changed your influences?
Matt Lowell: Yes, definitely. And you always want to capture that energy on the album, so that is what we really went for.
AM: You have said that there are a lot of nostalgic moments on your new album that you were trying to capture the feeling of being sixteen again. Why was it important to create songs from that viewpoint?
Samuel Stewart performing with Lo Moon at The Neurolux, photo by April Massey
Matt Lowell: I think that comes with getting older. I was not thinking about that so much with the first record. That was just what was inspiring at the time, so we tried to capture that in the music and, obviously, the lyrics.
AM: You have spoken about having very high expectations of yourself and your tendency to unfavorably compare your work with others. How do you combat that negativity? Does it affect the way you make music?
Matt Lowell: I try not to let it affect how we make records. I try to think about it in terms of, after you make a piece of art and release it for consumption, it is not yours anymore. I have to get used to that being enough instead of getting upset that I did not write “Born To Run.” We get to do this, and that is enough, or it should be.
AM: You have also spoken about your childhood love of playing hockey and how that experience translates to your music career. Do you think that was also part of the inspiration behind the launch of the band’s newsletter? To bring fans in as part of the team?
Matt Lowell: One hundred percent–being on our own also really energized that. We knew it was going to be a while before we could come back, and it was nice to be able to connect with the fans that really cared about us. Doing all those cover songs and things like that was fun for us, and it was fun to see how the fans reacted to it. But it is a team. It does feel like we are doing it with them.
AM: Are there similarities between a sports team’s fanbase and a band or artist’s fanbase?
Matt Lowell: I think so; there are always diehards. Any time you have diehard fans of anything, they act the same way. They act like it is theirs. They call the team “we” or “us,” and it is like you are not on the team but are still a part of it. I guess I had never thought about it that way, but it makes a lot of sense.
AM: Do you still play hockey?
Matt Lowell: No, once a year, maybe. I am too afraid of breaking something.
AM: Were you a “Mighty Ducks” kid?
Matt Lowell: Oh yeah, big time. I loved all of those movies.
AM: Going back to the idea of nostalgia and capturing those past moments, who were some of the artists you listened to when you were sixteen?
Matt Lowell: You do not have great taste when you are sixteen. Early in my high school years, I was listening to a lot of jam bands and singer-songwriters, which morphed into indie rock pretty quickly after high school. Then, you discover Radiohead, which blows your mind and opens up the entire palate.
AM: I still listen to some of the bands I listened to when I was sixteen.
Matt Lowell: I guess you are right. I probably do too.
AM: But I was also that weird sixteen-year-old that listened to David Bowie.
Matt Lowell performing with Lo Moon at The Neurolux, photo by April Massey
Matt Lowell: Oh, you are so right; there is that as well. Also, you just listen to whatever your parents are listening to. My dad listened to Paul Simon, Genesis, Niel Young, and Bowie. All of that was really important to him, and I remember that music seeping in.
AM: Is there any band that, in mixed company, you would hesitate to admit you listened to?
Matt Lowell: Dave Matthews Band. Oh man, what was I thinking then? But, going back to the idea of fan bases. There is a scene around bands like that that creates insane fan bases. That is really interesting to me now that we are doing the same thing. That whole culture that we just talked about, those bands have that. They do not even have to put records out; they just tour and tour and tour. People will come out three nights in a row at Red Rocks to see them. That is important. They are doing something right, and I envy that.
AM: What was your first concert?
Matt Lowell: My grandparents took me to see Billy Joel. Being a Long Island boy, that comes with the territory.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
