Moon Safari - Lover's End

Year of Release: 2010
Label: Blomljud Records
Catalog Number: BRCD003
Format: CD
Total Time: 51:44:00

In 2010 Moon Safari released Lover's End. Throw out whatever you expected their third release to sound like. While it's still rooted in the late 60s-early 70s, it's quite a different aspect of that period. It's reminiscent of the pop side, more so than the prog side. Well, don't throw out everything - lyrical piano, soaring guitar leads, lovely vocals, multi-part harmonies all remain; so too, a happy, upbeat musical outlook.

But, if you expected it to sound like a continuation of what came before ... or feared that it would be a repeat of what came before ... it does not. And holders of either point of view shouldn't be disappointed, especially if you take it for what it is. That makes it sound like I'm saying you have to settle, but rather I mean that the band has refreshed its sound, tightened up the arrangements ... they're a bit more direct this time out, the overall approach is more focus, more compact. The more you listen to it, and separate yourself from those expectations, you will find some terrific musical moments - a stellar guitar performance in the latter part of "Crossing The Rubicon," for example. But there's also a feeling of something missing... The Yes-like epicness and the pastoral pallet are gone for the most part, filled now with richer and more vibrant colors. Rather than a track or two rocking, they all do. The exception would be the mostly a cappella "Southern Belle," which features piano and vocals only. It's a very nice piece, very simple, balladic.

In some ways, it is a continuation of the previous two releases as summer is still a part of overall theme. I was almost going to say the socio-political references that characterized their first two albums are absent, but I think a deeper read of the lyrics suggests otherwise. As with their previous releases, the bright and shiny arrangements belie dark thematic material, but I think this time, I'll let you, dear readers, make your own conclusions. In broad strokes, as the title suggests, the album deals with the personal, the ending of a summertime romance; there are deeper whys and hows that make it not just a simple tale of boy meets girl, they fall in love, boy loses girl. The fallout puts our protagonist into a very dark place, where I think he may already have been.

I'm in the camp that thinks they sound like the Beach Boys here. The more I think about this, the more I'm convinced. Being a bit more specific, it's certain aspects of the Beach Boys sound; I'd say primarily that of Brian Wilson. Most obviously, there's the bright and upbeat approach musically, the vocal harmonies, the shear likability that each band has. Of course, Moon Safari have always had these things, only now they don't have a Yes-cast. But think about "In My Room," "Don't Worry Baby," and "God Only Knows," for example. I think it goes much deeper than musically, as there are parallels thematically, too. If you look at the lyrics of just those three Wilson-penned (or co-penned) pieces, and then map some of the lyrics here... Let's take "Crossing The Rubicon," for example; there is a sense that the "protagonist" of this "tale" will be locking himself away in his room; compare with "In My Room." Although in "... Rubicon" it is more a tactical retreat from the world than a safe haven.* On "Lover's End Part II" it sounds like the Beach Boys with just a hint of the Beatles, including in the "oohs" and "aahs" that recur throughout**

Anyway, I won't dwell on this Wilson/Beach Boys thing too much; as I said, I think deeper meanings at work in the lyrics.

The opener, the dreamy "Lover's End," includes not only the expected harmonies, but some slightly twangy guitar, which gives it just a bit, and I mean a very tiny bit, of a country feel (more comes later on the stand-out track, "New York City Summer Girl"). The orchestral outro of "Lover's End," which repeats the main melody on flute reminded me of early Moody Blues, but more in the use of it as an element (as on Days Of Future Past) than of the band itself. There also was another song that flitted at the edge of my memory; thinking about it, it's "Hooked On A Feeling," the B.J. Thomas chestnut from 1968 (in the verses, not the chorus).

"A Kid Called Panic" bursts forth right after, and recalls Marillion, which I suppose we could say, recalls Genesis - slightly staccato guitar, parpy keys, punchy drums, throbbing bass - only adding on their own signature harmonies on top. But fairly quickly (about 30-seconds in), the comparison falls away, and becomes just a pleasant rock track that includes the expected widdly keyboard parts, which solo shrilly at times (lots of times), but aren't overly shrill. The arrangement of this epic length (13-plus minutes) piece is sing-alongable (less so than "Summer Girl," however). It almost becomes a jam session right in the middle, but everything is downplayed, even as there's soloing going on. Instrumentally speaking, it verily throws in everything but the kitchen sink - soaring guitar, dashes of keening guitar, rolling piano, tinkling piano, Mellotron ... The parpy, Marillion-like keyboard tones return on "Heartland," a track that you'd think, by dint of its title alone, would have an Americana-like feel, but it doesn't. It's really a showcase for the keys of Simon Åkesson. However, keys aside, it doesn't sound anything like Marillion.

There's "New York City Summer Girl," the catchiest track here, one where the term "ditty" is entirely appropriate, or "single." Take a bit of a Celtic arrangement with keyboards that dance almost reel like, colour it with a bit of the American South with twangy slide guitar that square dances and wrap it up it a bouncy rhythm that is pop-song friendly, and you have this cheery little tune. Whereas the summertime of the first two was rooted in the countryside, the country aspects here are gussied up to give it a city-slick sheen... It's tootling around in your (convertible) car ready. And just for good measure, a snippet of "New York, New York" is played right at the end.

Different from before? Yes. As good as their previous two? Yes and no. As others have opined (and really I try not to read others' reviews), there is far more emphasis on the harmony vocals and less on the music itself. If you step back, it's really hard to separate out the tracks from one another, other than "New York City Summer Girl" stepping out a bit from the crowd. Deeper listening reveals more of what is going on instrumentally... time will tell really what its place in the Moon Safari canon will be. For now, it's a really good album by a band that might have pushed it a bit more. On the other hand, they need to be give a great deal of credit for not trying to repeat themselves.

* The phrase "Crossing The Rubicon," is used to imply crossing the point of no return. And suggests, I've come to learn, Caesar's crossing of the river into what is southern Italy. However, in this song the historical aspect is not relevant, but I find it ironic that it should imply boldly going (or brazenly going) in, and the song is about retreating.

** I've learned Wilson's Pet Sounds was inspired by the Beatles' Rubber Soul, that is, in making a complete album versus a collection of singles...


Tracklisting:
Lover's End Pt. I (6:42) / A Kid Called Panic (13:56) / Southern Belle (3:46) / The World's Best Dreamers (5:45) / New York City Summergirl (4:08) / Heartland (5:46) / Crossed The Rubicon (9:45) / Lover's End Pt. II (1:56)

Musicians:
Simon Åkesson - vocals, piano, organ, Moog, Mellotron, keys
Petter Sandström - vocals, acoustic guitar & harmonica
Pontus Åkesson - vocals, acoustic guitars, electric guitar
Johan Westerlund - vocals, bass guitar
Tobias Lundgren - vocals, drums, percussion
Sebastian Åkesson - keyboards, guitars, vocals

Discography:
A Doorway To Summer (2005)
Blomljud (2008)
Lover's End (2010)
The Gettysburg Address (2012)
Lover's End Pt III (2012)
Himlabacken, Vol 1 (2013)
Live In Mexico (2014)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin SE

Added: July 10th 2011
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: www.moonsafari.se
Hits: 4684
Language: english