Having had a tiring day and being especially pleased with a spicy noodles meal I made, I decided to try out some new listening and pulled an artist from our in tray that we have never covered before. That is not to suggest that Luna Shadows is a new artist. A classically trained pianist, Shadows began writing songs at eight years old and later attended LaGuardia High School as a vocal major before making her way to California. She has had considerable success, building a following within the alternative scene and currently boasting nearly 68,000 listeners on Spotify — not bad at all for an artist who writes and produces out of her bedroom in Los Angeles.
Press Release
“Luna Shadows is ready to let it all out. On her new single “gutspill,” the Los Angeles-based artist lets her feelings spill out in full color, pairing crunchy Midwest emo-inspired guitars with the dreamy electronic production and layered vocals that have become her signature.
Co-written and co-produced with Chris Freeman of Hot Mulligan, “gutspill” takes a big swing at modern nostalgia, channeling the emotional immediacy and pop-punk energy of early-2000s alternative through Shadows’ distinctly atmospheric lens. With her eyes on the prize, Shadows ushers us into a lighthearted, emotive era.
“‘gutspill’ is a song about when you fear your feelings are about to fall out like confetti,” Shadows says. “You can try to hold them in or push them down, but ultimately, it’s more fun to let them out. Do it just for the plot. It’s a crush you can’t confess, an overwhelming emotion you can’t shake. It’s an ode to saying what you mean, even if you have to turn it into poetry and put it in a song.”
The accompanying video, which features Freeman on guitar, offers a similarly playful departure from Shadows’ typically more serious visual world. Drawing on the pop-punk aesthetics of the early 2000s, it also marks her first traditional band-style performance video. Shadows directed, produced, production designed, and edited the visual herself.
With “gutspill,” Shadows brings her lifelong relationship with alternative music to the forefront, leaning into a brighter, more playful side of her sound without losing the emotional depth that has long defined her work.”
Photo Credit Francis Carter
My Review
With a video that sees Luna on the football pitch (I know… our US readers want to call it soccer — but we had the language first, lol), this is a light and breezy pop rocker full of late-summer vibes and hearts being worn on sleeves.
The track has that breakfast-radio feel. It is a dance-around-the-toaster-and-enjoy-your-apple-juice kind of song. The chorus has an easy singalong quality and I can see this doing nicely with a festival crowd, particularly when the audience has had a few hours of sunshine and is ready for something upbeat.
It is the type of track you listen to with a smile. It isn’t trying to reinvent modern music, but perhaps that isn’t the point. “gutspill” is simply a cheerful, accessible slice of alternative pop-rock that knows exactly what it wants to be — and delivers it without fuss.
Sometimes, after a long day, you don’t need a musical revolution. You just need something that puts a smile on your face, the musical equivalent of a sunny afternoon ice cream.
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You can stream music from Luna Shadows here
By Lorraine Foley
Love what we do? Rock the Joint Magazine is completely free — no paywalls, no ads ruining the read — just passionate music journalism for 1,000+ readers a day. If you enjoy hanging out with us, please consider hitting the “Support Us” button and buying us a coffee on Ko-Fi. Even a small donation genuinely helps keep the magazine running, lets us publish more features, and reminds us that people value independent music writing. Remember, we work hard for you here!