Midnight

Sakada
Black Lotus Records

Let me preface this review by stating that this album will definitely not appeal to everyone. That can be said for most artists, but it especially applies here. If you're a fan of retro-sounding Psychedelic Rock with a tinge of Metal, then read on.

Like something straight out of the 1970's, Midnight opens the album with "Incubus", a song that immediately sets up their sound and catches your interest. Right from the first twenty seconds of the piece, you can tell exactly what their general style is. They actually do have some catchy melodies, but not the sort that will stick with you for the rest of the day. They're more like the sort where you'd skip to those specific tracks first upon repeated listens. In all honesty, they're not all that innovative in the grand scheme of things, but it's what Midnight (the singer, and part-time guitarist) does with his lyrics that really makes the album worth the multiple listens.

His vocal style is actually rather annoying at times, as he has a fairly falsetto voice and is not so concerned with hitting all the notes. Regardless, the accompanying lyrics are something to be admired. Each song is like watching a David Firth cartoon in slow-motion. The most random and provocative images are conjured up and thrown into the nine songs, so that you come away at the end with a very different feeling inside you than when you started forty-nine minutes ago. This is a rare gift, and it is best displayed on tracks like "Berber Trails", "Little Mary Sunshine", and "Miss Katie". 'I want to cross the desert on a camel that has no smile,' he sings during "Berber Trails." A simple statement, that makes a certain degree of sense, but is thought-provoking nonetheless.

The musicianship here is more than just average, even if the end result isn't so amazing. Three main members plus eight guest musicians make up this sonic trip into Midnight's imagination, and the whole production makes for a good rainy day's listen.

I mentioned before that you come away from the album feeling different, and I shall elaborate now. The whole album casts a grey cloud over your head, more so than most Gothic albums, and it remains with you until you listen to something perkier. It's ambient music to say the least, and the band achieves that purpose well.

Stu Patterson