Nightingale - Alive Again
The End Records - 2003
By Mark Bridgeman
Nightingale, now a full-time band for Dan Swano and brother Dag (aka Tom Nouga), have a reputation (and well-deserved it is, too) for producing slick, finely-crafted melodic heavy rock. Although I'd only heard 'I' (Black Mark) before receiving Alive Again, I can say with hand on heart that this, in fact, is a point that bears no exaggeration. With Dan Swano's clean, warm vocals over masterfully-crafted rock sounds, Nightingale showed then that they deserved all the praise heaped onto them.
And now, with their much-anticipated follow-up, los bros Swano again piece together a solid, ear-catching work of art that is a pleasure to hear. The fact it's been on rotation for the last week here at UM HQ, with an average of 5 listens per day, says much for this disc's addictive sounds.
One thing that always strikes me about Nightingale is the Swano brother's ability to create music that mirrors the memories of music from my youth - timeless melodies, a smooth sliding of emotions, allowing me to remember what it is that struck me about music in the first place.
Alive Again had me thinking about great 80s rock, even though it doesn't display anything resembling it. Alive Again is music that seeps under your skin, oozes into your ears, and lifts your heart. The way good country music, classic rock, thrash, pop, or beebop does. The Swano's have managed to create a timeless piece of music that resonates all that is enjoyable about popular heavy music without itself being heavy music.
The highlights from this disc are difficult to choose, simply because there are so many candidates. After the opener of 'Recollections', the album kicks in with the best track on the album (in this writer's opinion) 'Shadowman', an energetic yet soulful piece showcasing Dan's vocals perfectly, along with his blend of guitar and keyboards to produce a rich, lush track of semi-heavy rock dripping with sing-along melodies and double-tracked vocals.
Taken song-by-song, this release is a solid piece of work. In its entirety, it's a compelling, engaging listen.
9/10
The End Records - 2003
By Mark Bridgeman
Nightingale, now a full-time band for Dan Swano and brother Dag (aka Tom Nouga), have a reputation (and well-deserved it is, too) for producing slick, finely-crafted melodic heavy rock. Although I'd only heard 'I' (Black Mark) before receiving Alive Again, I can say with hand on heart that this, in fact, is a point that bears no exaggeration. With Dan Swano's clean, warm vocals over masterfully-crafted rock sounds, Nightingale showed then that they deserved all the praise heaped onto them.
And now, with their much-anticipated follow-up, los bros Swano again piece together a solid, ear-catching work of art that is a pleasure to hear. The fact it's been on rotation for the last week here at UM HQ, with an average of 5 listens per day, says much for this disc's addictive sounds.
One thing that always strikes me about Nightingale is the Swano brother's ability to create music that mirrors the memories of music from my youth - timeless melodies, a smooth sliding of emotions, allowing me to remember what it is that struck me about music in the first place.
Alive Again had me thinking about great 80s rock, even though it doesn't display anything resembling it. Alive Again is music that seeps under your skin, oozes into your ears, and lifts your heart. The way good country music, classic rock, thrash, pop, or beebop does. The Swano's have managed to create a timeless piece of music that resonates all that is enjoyable about popular heavy music without itself being heavy music.
The highlights from this disc are difficult to choose, simply because there are so many candidates. After the opener of 'Recollections', the album kicks in with the best track on the album (in this writer's opinion) 'Shadowman', an energetic yet soulful piece showcasing Dan's vocals perfectly, along with his blend of guitar and keyboards to produce a rich, lush track of semi-heavy rock dripping with sing-along melodies and double-tracked vocals.
Taken song-by-song, this release is a solid piece of work. In its entirety, it's a compelling, engaging listen.
9/10
