Musically speaking, Galactic Cowboys have retained their original and unique vibe from way back in the day, which is to say that it still sounds like an eclectic cross between something akin to proto-grunge, bouncy heavy metal, and hard rock with a sharp edge to it. If King’s X and Alice in Chains went head to head in a godforsaken alley in some depressing shithole out there, Galactic Cowboys would be the outcome of that particular brawl. With respect to the lyrics, the band’s dark sense of humor and wicked irony are very much intact on "Long Way Back to the Moon". There is a certain…well, I suppose the word that I am looking for is quirkiness, which is exactly what is to be found within the song material. That is partly what makes the entire affair so charming and appealing. The frustrating thing about this record is that the latter half is noticably better than the first half. The great thing about it is that the latter half contains sweeping and clever tunes such as the fierce and punchy "Drama", the groovy and unpredictable "Amisarewas", and the raging "Hate Me". The title track is a gem and without doubt the cornerstone of the album with its captivating melodies and thoughtful lyrics.

Galactic Cowboys never really gave a shit about what was current or trendy or whatever but instead chose to walk their own path and carve out a niche for themselves. It is great to see that nothing has changed with respect to that and that they are still as experimental and wildly imaginative as they were twenty years ago. That is truly refreshing. Truth be told, I was not exactly floored by "Long Way Back to the Moon", but you just cannot deny its many endearing qualities. They could have taken some of the progressive ideas and experiments even further, which is to say that it feels as if some cuts never really reach their full potential. On top of that, the first half of the opus is slightly uneven (as mentioned earlier on). Still, there is more than enough to get excited about here, so approach it with an open mind and make sure you listen to it plenty of times before passing judgment on it. It is one of those albums that might require a bit of patience and dedication on the part of the listener.