As long as a band endures in its career, some oscillations of quality on the full-lengths can be observed. It’s a natural thing - except when the level is low - and it happens with everyone. It’s obvious that the Swedish octet THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA always puts a high - and excellent - level of creative in all of its releases, but on “Give Us the Moon”, they committed a slightly skidded. Nothing has changed at all on the band’s music: it’s the same old and good AOR/Hard Rock in the vein of the 70s, filled with elements and groove of Pop Rock, Progressive Rock, Disco Music and Soul Music, filled with hooking and excellent melodies and amazing choruses, so no one can complain of changes.

But the songs are not as inspired and mind-blowing as on the days of “Internal Affairs”, “Amber Galactic” or “Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough”. What such words means: “Give Us the Moon” is an excellent work, indeed, but not as great as the ones named above. One more they worked with Sebastian Forslund (mixing) and Thomas “Plec” Johansson (recording, mastering), and Mikko Viitala (recording), who created a modern ‘update’ for the formulas used to make sonorities of the genre during the 70s, what means: it’s organic and ‘hand-made’, but defined and clean, then everything can be heard and understood without problems. And the cover created by Giorgia Carteri keeps the same essence of what the band shown on all its releases since “Aeromantic”, so it gives the idea of continuity.

Let’s state a thing in a clear way before speaking about the songs: it’s an excellent set with everything that the fans already knew and expect of them, but’s not as great as the other releases named before on this review. For now, after “Final Call” (a simple intro), the party follows with “Stratus” (a true 70s AOR song based on very good keyboards layers and a charming chorus), “Shooting Velvet” (an accessible song with another great chorus filled with very good backing vocals), “Like the Beating of a Heart” (a song with strong influences of Soul Music with charming keyboards parts and great presence of bass guitar and drums), “Melbourne, May I?” (this one has more energy, with emphasis on the guitar parts, but with the usual good taste of the band on the melodies and arrangements), “Miraculous”, “Paloma” (influences of JOURNEY and TOTO are clear on the accessible melodies, and what lovely vocals), “Cosmic Tide” (the drumming here remembers the strength of Ian Pace on his golden age, and the arrangements on bass guitar are excellent), “Give Us the Moon” (the influence of Disco Music hits is clear due the accessible outfit here), “A Paris Point of View” Ithe influence of Disco Music hits is clear due the accessible outfit here II), “Runaways”, “Way to Spend the Night” (the whole band works as an unity on this one, and what great catchy melodies), and “Stewardess, Empress, Hot Mess (and the Captain of Pain)”, and you’ll be able to say that the album is amazing, but it lacks that genius touch that’s so usual for THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA’s music.

As final words, I’d like to say that “Give Us the Moon” will be on the collection of every fan of the band, because it’s excellent (I’ll buy one for me), but THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA is able to make things better (if you’re a fan, you’ll understand what I mean).