ALBUM REVIEW: The Nght Flight Orchestra's Sometimes The World Ain't Enough is a fine release - but is it an album in the wrong era

WE have struggled with The Night Flight Orchestra's latest release, 'Sometimes The World Ain't Enough' on Nuclear Blast - tried and tried to find something worth saying about such a good release.

This is the sort of well-executed AOR/hard rock that had it been released in the mid-1980s record executives would be cumming in their pants, desperate to sign them and throwing bundles of cash at them to make over-the-top videos with scantily clad models draped over sports cars.

'Moments of Thunder' would be on constant rotation on radio stations across the US and MTV would have the video playing every 15 minutes.

But, one cannot blame the band that they were not there to see their bank balances swell and groupies swarm. Instead this is album to revel in.

True the Night Flight Orchestra showed much promise on their first two releases, and the excellent 'Amber Galctica', but one feels this release is closer to what the band wanted to showcase. Smooth and elegant -but with enough self-awareness that they have perfected their sound.

Björn Strid's vocals on the title track and 'Speedwagon' (no REO needed but more than a nod) and each song's structure across the album has an integrity and well-thought-out purpose.

Sure, they may spout in the blurb that come with the release about how they came upon the ivison for
The Night Flight Orchestra on a Soilwork tour in the US, and this is the perfect escapist music, but it does sound dated - dated in a good way.

Dated in the sense that it pulls all those who remember the heady days of the 80s before reality TV and manufactured acts - and those younger who can appreciate a great collection of tunes.

The work of Richard Larsson on keyboards adds a flourish and sense of atmosphere, as David Andersson and Sebastian Forslund weave spellbinding guitar lines on the likes of 'Can't Be That Bad'

There is an insistent quality throughout 'Sometimes The World Ain't Enough' that keeps you coming back for your AOR fix - no more so that on the wonderful 'Barcelona', that sees Sharlee D'Angelo (bass) and Jonas Källsbäck  (drums) propel the track on effortlessly.

Perhaps the title track and ;Winged and Serpentine' sum this album up best. - classy is the word we have been struggling to find as we pushed through repeated listens.

Yes, that's it! A classy release from a classy band.

Review by Jonathan Treaynor

Sometimes The World Ain't Enough is out now on Nuclear Blast