By Jonny Bakes
Before every festival that I go to, I try to find the time to listen to every band on the lineup to make sure I haven’t missed any hidden gems. This really paid off before Bloodstock 2021 and I spent the run up to the festival hyping The Night Flight Orchestra to anyone who would listen… unfortunately they ultimately had to pull out and it wasn’t until 2022 that we got to see them at the festival but it was definitely worth the wait!
The band could have been considered a passion project for Soilwork’s frontman Björn Strid for which he was later joined by Arch Enemy’s bassist Sharleen D’Angelo, but over time The Night Flight Orchestra have developed serious momentum and a cult following that threatens to make them more successful than Soilwork! (alright maybe not just yet, but give it time)
I’ve been waiting a long time for ‘Give Us The Moon’ to finally be released after being teased in 2024 but the question is, has it been worth the wait? Well, much like the Bloodstock performance, the short answer is yes. Read on for the long answer though!
From the first notes of the first song, ‘Give Us Uhe Moon’ is packed full of high energy retro jams that take you on an instant nostalgia trip. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, The Night Flight Orchestra is possibly the best ’70s/’80s band to emerge in this century! Björn’s voice continues to be the strong focal point for the music, with his masterful melodic voice driving heaps of passion into every song. Backed by his Aeromanticas who bring the strong harmonies to add a richness that just screams the ’70s (think Meat Loaf and his backing singers!). Now it wouldn’t be a retro/AOR album without a decent helping of synth, and there’s plenty of it with piano melodies forming a big part of each song on the album. There’s so much upbeat energy throughout the album that you can’t help but feel energised and in a good mood by the time you’re done – which is exactly what I’ve needed considering it’s been a rough couple of weeks!
The aeronautical theme remains strong with this album. For the uninitiated, I should point out that Björn gets decked out as a pilot/captain with the Aeromanticas decked out in retro air hostess outfits to drive home this theme. In fact at Bloodstock 2024, there was a large group of fans dressed as pilots themselves who found themselves invited onto stage to join them! I digress… To kick off the album is a “final call” to join the flight to make you feel like you’re in an airport lounge before the tracks take you around the world and beyond. France, Australia and outer space are all destinations for this Night Flight!
Every song on his album is catchy as hell and you’re bound to find yourself humming the melodies for days after. But perhaps there are a few that stand out just a little more than others. ‘Melobourne, May I’ starts with a soundbite from an airline safety video before launching into an epic guitar and synth melody that evokes memories of ’80s action films, you know, when there’s a hint of a love interest too. There’s a cracking synth solo that gives it a bit of a proggy feel but it remains a fantastic number that you can actually dance to. I’ll be very surprised if this doesn’t find its way into the regular setlist alongside huge hits like ‘Satellite’ and ‘White Jeans’.
Standing out at the end of the album is the uncharacteristically long (clocking in at a mighty near eight minutes) ‘Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (And the Captain of Pain)’. Here The Night Flight Orchestra embraces a prog rock edge to the music that blends with the jovial disco stylings of the music. This track is one that weaves a tale of passion that is expertly portrayed by Björn’s impressive vocals (honestly, it’s his work with NFO that finally made me fall in love with Soilwork, it really gives him the space to show off his vocal talent!).
All in all, ‘Give Us The Moon’ is a fantastic album. I’ve always loved the way that the band sound like they’ve dropped out of a completely different decade and the music is quite simply fun. It’s impossible to feel down while listening to The Night Flight Orchestra and ‘Give us the Moon’ is no exception to this! This is an absolute must for any metalhead that has a guilty pleasure for a good ol’ boogie – the kind of person who would stick on the “cheese” channel at a silent disco perhaps (like me). And if you listen to ‘Give Us The Moon’ and don’t see it as sheer brilliance then, well, I guess you must hate fun too!
- ‘Give Us The Moon’ is released today (Friday 31 January)
- The Night Flight Orchestra are currently on tour:
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