If you’ve ever listened to Neon Rain, The Wild Jays, or Dream the Electric Sleep, you’ve already heard some of Trevor Willmott’s handiwork. Outside of those groups, this Lexington-born Nashville-based singer-guitarist-producer has also racked up millions of streams with his indie-alternative-folk solo project Cujo Moon. Cujo Moon first crept up in late 2020 with his debut EP Bridges and returned with its sequel, Bridges II, the following March. Cujo Moon’s third record Tides rolled in last August, inspiring comparisons to Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, and Bon Iver based on Willmott’s soothing guitar strums and gentle vocals.
Last weekend, Willmott bayed away a multi-month studio leave and embraced a crepuscular mindset on Cujo Moon’s fourth EP, Horizons. As with the rest of Cujo Moon’s catalogue, Horizons was written, recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered “lone wolf” style – entirely by Willmott alone. It’s a testament to the artistic impact that only comes with an auteur approach, something many solo songwriters overlook. Be it literal or through the use of emotional metaphors, Horizons sets its sights up to the celestial spirits and complements that connection to nature with earthy, ambient sonics, including piano and synth. You certainly don’t have to be an astronomer to appreciate Horizons but tracks like “In the Stars” will have you looking at the sky with a whole new sense of understanding and affection.
–Jack Anderson
