Music Banter - View Single Post - 12 For '12: Anteater's Top Albums Of 2012

Engine · 02-20-2013, 10:51 PM

As promised, here are my reflections on the Night Flight Orchestra album:

I'm a bit stunned at my reaction to this because I like it the whole way through, mostly. Normally I hate when rock bands base their songs on major chord progressions and match every element (guitar, bass, voice, beats) to that progression. But this album took me off guard.

It has subtle elements that make me like it and most of them are probably personal. Based on my own experiences with the music I heard as a child.

First of all, if the vocalist had made noises at a pitch that were even slightly different than he did, I would probably not be able to listen to this. But he doesn't go too far off the rails for me, never going too dramatic or falsetto. He sings like a 70s/80s rock singer that I find acceptable.

Now, before I approve any of the other current prog-esque acts that I've heard, I must note that I can barely get through this band's song entitled "Transatlantic Blues" because it goes on forever. I appreciate its lack of proggy noodlings but it's still too long. Way too long.

But there's something I like about this album so I'll try to place it. For one, a lot of it generally sounds like 80s hard rock that I like (I dunno, Dokken Lite?). Also, I like the 70s disco/rock sounds on "Internal Affairs" and while "1998" for example is almost too cheesy for me, its cheesiness manages to fly under my radar. Some of the other songs also almost turn me off completely but then end up sounding just enough like War (or some-such) that I like them.

Overall, this album sounds like it was made by a band whose 70s and 80s singles I like. I doubt I can adequately describe that with words. It's just a feeling and even the saxophone interludes don't bother me much. Essentially, almost every time that it fully turns into prog cheese, it returns to the territory of plain old 3-minute classic rock songs.

Granted, if I'm not in the mood for major chords, this turns me way off, but if I am in that mood then the album gives me a listening experience similar to that of the 'heavy' bands that were on 70s and 80s pop radio, and I like that.

02-20-2013, 10:51 PM	#33 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	As promised, here are my reflections on the Night Flight Orchestra album: I'm a bit stunned at my reaction to this because I like it the whole way through, mostly. Normally I hate when rock bands base their songs on major chord progressions and match every element (guitar, bass, voice, beats) to that progression. But this album took me off guard. It has subtle elements that make me like it and most of them are probably personal. Based on my own experiences with the music I heard as a child. First of all, if the vocalist had made noises at a pitch that were even slightly different than he did, I would probably not be able to listen to this. But he doesn't go too far off the rails for me, never going too dramatic or falsetto. He sings like a 70s/80s rock singer that I find acceptable. Now, before I approve any of the other current prog-esque acts that I've heard, I must note that I can barely get through this band's song entitled "Transatlantic Blues" because it goes on forever. I appreciate its lack of proggy noodlings but it's still too long. Way too long. But there's something I like about this album so I'll try to place it. For one, a lot of it generally sounds like 80s hard rock that I like (I dunno, Dokken Lite?). Also, I like the 70s disco/rock sounds on "Internal Affairs" and while "1998" for example is almost too cheesy for me, its cheesiness manages to fly under my radar. Some of the other songs also almost turn me off completely but then end up sounding just enough like War (or some-such) that I like them. Overall, this album sounds like it was made by a band whose 70s and 80s singles I like. I doubt I can adequately describe that with words. It's just a feeling and even the saxophone interludes don't bother me much. Essentially, almost every time that it fully turns into prog cheese, it returns to the territory of plain old 3-minute classic rock songs. Granted, if I'm not in the mood for major chords, this turns me way off, but if I am in that mood then the album gives me a listening experience similar to that of the 'heavy' bands that were on 70s and 80s pop radio, and I like that. __________________ Like an arrow, I was only passing through.