Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade (Moon Safari, 2012)

Here you are a very well set up suite by Moon Safari, released as a stand alone EP in 2012. Even if there are no credited parts, this is definitely a suite with recognizable sections, recurring themes, vintage instrumental passages and interesting vocal harmonies. Firstly, this third installment of "Lover's End" is by far the longest and more complex one, the longest epic by the band, actually. Secondly, it's an excellent one, if you ask me, mostly down tempo, but with many accelerations and some heavier (well, kind of...) moments.

 

A view over Skellefteå, I presume.

As usual with them, Moon Safari mix acoustic and electric instruments with the best taste you can imagine, and get a well balanced, round, pleasant blend, the sort of music you could pick out as a Serenade... a long, tricky, intriguing one, to say it all. As the cover art suggests, this is also perfect for a relaxing tea time. By the way, Skellefteå is Moon Safari's own town, in the North of Sweden.

Methuselah's Children (Moon Safari, 2008)

Taken from the "Blomljud" double album, this "Methuselah's Children" isn't the longest epic of the lot, despite its more than 15 minutes of length, but it is - IMHO - one of the best and most distinctive tracks in this collection. If you read other posts about Moon Safari's songs in my blog, you probably know I love this Swedish band and their original style, midway between classic prog roots and folk inspiration,with a choral nuance.

"Blomljud" was Moon Safari's second studio work.

The first thing you'll notice in this "Methuselah's Children" will certainly be the flushing, beautiful vocal harmonies, a well known trademark of the band, but this isn't all. Next will come the keyboard progressions, both smooth and fast, the acoustic/electric interplays and - last but not least - the enthralling melodies gracing the whole song. Useful to say, some of the musical themes in this CD return in different songs, a very progressive way to set up a coherent work. I think Moon Safari's world is a sunny day, a blue Northern sky, a 21st Century prog dream.

A Kid Called Panic (Moon Safari, 2010)

Taken from Moon Safari's third studio album "Lover's End", this rather long song (some 13 minutes) has everything I like in this band's music. Catchy and choral sung melodies, excellent instrumental passages, a fresh and joyful mood, in short: the strength of youth. Despite its title, this song is a light trip into colourful realms, with a touch of proto-prog era and even - now and then - a Beatles-like composition and arrangement.

A fresher face for symphonic rock. That's what Moon Safari is.

All the rest is pure symphonic rock, with enthralling keyboard / guitar interplays, a creative drumming, a discreet but effective bass line and an overwhelming fantasy throughout the track. When listening to this, I feel my faith in prog rising up and I need to press the back button on my CD player to restart the song. Should I say more?

A Sun of Your Own (Moon Safari, 2005)

Sweden is a land full of progressive surprises. When I first listened to Moon Safari I was highly impressed and I still are. They're not a derivative band, they have their own soud and this beautiful song is a good start point to discover their universe. It'a a long (9'20") and sweet track, taken from "A Doorway to Summer", the band's second album, a song with mainly acoustic instruments and a sense of simplicity and magic in it. The voice and the vocal arrangements are very good and there's a perfect mix of folk and prog, something reminds of the Canadian band Harmonium, back in the '70s, but with a modern taste.

The original cover of "A Doorway to Summer" (up) and the band (down ,of course).

The second part of the song is mostly instrumental and choral and there you'll find the band's progressive soul in all its glory, but still with a strong melodic and emotional approach I appreciate very much. They're good songwriters, these Moon Safari boys, and after five good albums I think they're worth a place in every prog lover's heart.