Well, it’s been a few years since I’ve talked about The Night Flight Orchestra on this blog. In all honesty, it’s been a few years since I paid attention. However, I got this album fly past my desk and I knew I had to listen to it. I’m so glad I did, as this one is an absolute certified banger of an album. Give Us The Moon is an exciting record that glistens with punchy production and sharp songwriting. It’s one of those albums that I’d feel comfortable recommending to anyone who even has a passing interest in music. It’s an album that will grab the attention of any listener, from your hardcore audiophiles to the casual, whose only experience with music is what goes on the car radio. This album will captivate you as instantly as it did for me. All of this is from a group of talented, versatile musicians who understand that the point of music is to invigorate the soul. Led by the charismatic vocalist, Björn Strid (most notably from the band Soilwork), The Night Flight Orchestra has that true feeling of AOR through every note on this epic record.
The album opens with a small intro called “Final Call” which gives you a brief moment to get ready for this ode to classic rock. Every song has such a nostalgic feel to it, feeling like it came straight from the golden era of rock n roll. It gave me that real sense of opening my Dad’s record collection and just getting lost in an album. I think that comes down to three things. One, pacing. Two, production and three, writing. What do I mean by pacing? Well, the album has this excellent sense of momentum. Each song naturally flows into the next. Making the entire listening experience feel seamless. The motif of an interplanetary adventure shines through with songs like “Cosmic Tide” and the title track “Give Us The Moon” being perfect examples. The simple fact is that each song has a pulse-pounding beat that keeps you invested in each song. So when those hook and chorus lines come in, you’re already ensnared in the musical trap so you might as well stick around for the next track. As a result, you barely notice the time melt away as you get lost in the beautifully committed melodies and earnest performances.
The production is so bold. The album has clear influences of Europop, it melds so well with the alt-rock instrumentation and everything comes together in this fantastic package. I think something that gives this record a lot of character is the excellent work of the backing vocalists Anna Brygard & Åsa Lundman. They give such an in-your-face performance and support Björn so well. When those three-part harmonies come in on songs like “Miraculous”, “Like The Beating of a Heart” and “Way To Spend The Night”, man, my heart skipped a beat in those moments. Each layer of the production feels so tightly controlled. Like, they could have gone crazy with any part but the album is a careful product of restraint. You can hear everything fall so perfectly into place. I don’t think there are any gaps or spaces that are not filled with something that directly adds to the overall tone of the record. Some moments allow the audience to catch their breath before the band comes back in full, check out the last track “Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (And The Captain Of Pain)” for this effect.
Then you have the writing. What to say about it? Well, just the wonderfully refined quality of it. With emotionally evocative lyrics and beautiful, captivating melodies this is an album that will stick with you. Also, every track is catchy as all heck! Seriously, I’d be very surprised if you’re not humming at least two or more of the hooks from this album long after the record is over! For me, those songs are “Paloma” and “Runaways” but in all honesty, I’d believe you if you said any other track. You can tell that the band have such a great reverence for the golden oldies of rock. You know those songs that you hear on every classic rock station known to man? From the way, Rasmus Ehrnborn and Sebastian Forslund craft their riffs and solos. The way John Lönnmyr incorporates the synth and keyboard parts and the well-structured bass and drum foundation of Sharlee D’Angelo & Jonas Källsbäck. Each musical part is almost down to a science in how they manage to stick in the listener's head.
What else can I say? I would highly recommend giving it a listen. It’s more than worth your time. Like I said, I feel 100% comfortable in recommending this album to anyone. It’s pop enough for the casual and easy-listening crowd. It rocks hard enough for the rockers with well-executed guitar solos and hook-driven riffs. It is melodic enough for the Europop fanatics who want everything to sparkle and shine. I believe anyone I play this for would have a positive reaction to it.
GIVE US THE MOON WILL BE RELEASED JAN 31, 2025!
CHECK OUT THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK
Did you like this album review? Consider supporting on Buy Me A Coffee.
Also you can join me on SubscribeStar for future perks.
Comments
Post a Comment