The Night Flight Orchestra Give Us The Moon
Label: Napalm Records Handels GmbH
When the world looks as dark as it does right now I need something to give me a bit of light, so I turn to my album collection for something to drive out the darkness. A new additional to my collection that gave me recent musical uplift arrived through my letterbox a couple of weeks ago in the form of the new album from The Night Flight Orchestra, “Give Us The Moon”.
Once viewed as a side-project for musicians from Swedish metal band Soilwork (who are worth checking out if you’ve never had a listen), since 2007 NFO have been putting out some fantastic melodic rock music across seven albums.
Since their 2018 release, “Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough”, NFO adding the odd disco flourish to some of their songs. “Like The Beating Of A Heart” on this new record is a great example. The start of the song comes straight from a 1970s New York light up dance floor, bursting into a pulsing rocker that makes you want to dance around like a loon.
The disco vibes return for “Miraculous”, “A Paris Point Of View”, and title track, “GIve Us The Moon”, but they don’t dominate. Think a classic Bee Gees era tune merged with a rockier feel and you’re on the way to grasping how NFO have added a different dimension to their music compared to more traditional AOR stylings.
Elsewhere, “Paloma’ starts with keyboards, suggesting a ballad at the album’s mid-point. Gradually guitars, bass and drums layer in as the track evolves into a driving singalong melody that is anything but a ballad.
“Give Us The Moon” is NFO’s third album in five years, a work rate that is commendable given the musicians involved are in others bands too. Indeed, their recent trio of albums are to these ears some of the strongest in their back catalogue.
It’s worth noting that this is their first record since the death of guitarist David Andersson in 2022. But this is no maudlin tribute record. “Give Us The Moon” is a celebration of life, joy, happiness and fun. If you enjoy your rock music melodic, and are open to it having danceable edge, then this album will put a smile on your face for sure.
Highly recommended.
Rob Jackson | Now Spinning Magazine
