LOVER'S END PT. III: SKELLEFTEÅ SERENADE

Moon Safari really returned to their former glory on this one. That's not to say that Lover's End was a bad release, it just lacked the grandiosity of previous releases.

Once again, they have combined the things I love best about summery pop music, cheesy ballads, and wonky prog rock. Their clean production, buttery smooth vocals, and obnoxiously joyous melodies tie together very well in this epic track and make for another phenomenal piece of music.

However, as with much of this band's work, one must be in the right mindset to truly enjoy it. Not only do you have to look past the corniness, YOU MUST EMBRACE IT. If you feel like you're up to this task, definitely check out this EP. It has kept me hungry for more Moon Safari.

How is it possible that Moon Safari can alter the perception of time?

I was DELIGHTED, a few nights back, to see that "Lover's End 3" was out on the "Progstreaming" web site.

From 11:00 p.m. till four in the morning I listened to it "8" times. I am blessed to own the world's finest headphones and headphone amp which allow me to hear all of the musical nuances of this absolute masterpiece.

As to the perception of time, how is that this 24 minute epic can feel like 4 minutes of actual listening time. Moon Safari are true musical geniuses!!!!!!! The music is completely addictive!

"Lover's End 3" is a perfect blend of "Lover's End 1/A Kid Called Panic" with "The Other Half of the Sky," the two epics from their two previous releases.

With the inclusion of this Magnum Opus to the Lover's End CD, Moon Safari have done the near impossible; they have eclipsed "Bloomljud" (Moon Safari's Second release) as the finest rock music CD I have heard in many years and places them right up there with the great progressive rock music heavyweights of all time.

What splendor, what emotion, what vocal beauty and majesty, what perfect music!!! What else can I say!!!!!!! But that I could only beam myself to Europe for the Moon Safari tour.

INCREDIBLE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, continuing in my clearly established vein of poorly written reviews:

This band and song might not be to everyone's taste; but I think that this is really an exceptional release. - This song just flows beautifully; there does not seem to be anything forced about it at all. The arrangement is fantastic, and the lead and harmony vocals and melody lines are wonderful!

I initially got "Lover's End" when I was in the wrong "head-space" for it , and kind of missed out on how good the album is. But thanks to the tip of fellow progger and reviewer dhsuhaka to check this out on progstreaming, I'm really coming to appreciate this record quite a lot.

With part III, I'm sometimes reminded of the Dream Academy, A.C.T, Brighteye Brison, Neal Morse/Transatlantic, etc., but this song certainly stands on its own merit.

My advice: Since you can go to progstreaming and check it out for yourself, you have nothing to lose by giving this song a "test-drive"!!! - You just might be as pleasantly surprised as I was!!!

4.7 to maybe 5 stars - I'm going to round up for this one. (Hey, it might not be "Close to the Edge", but it certainly kept my attention and made me smile!)

Grace and peace,

Cylli Kat

Skelleftea Serenade probably should have been the song that would have made Lover's End a double cd...it would have made sense. However, I've come to the conclusion that they did the right thing in making us wait for it. 2 years after the release of Lover's End, we are brought back to revisit Mary. It's a bittersweet reunion, and they've managed to capture the same dose of melancholy and beauty as in the previous chapters of the story, but they've magnified it somehow. It's definitely a rollercoaster ride of an epic, taking the best melodies of Pts. 1 and 2 and sprinkling them into different sections of this song. It should be said, however, that there is enough fresh and original material in this track that it can't be discounted as a 'rehash' of what they had previously done; all of the melodies are, as with everything else these guys do, infectious...once you hear them, you'll have them in your head for hours to come. Lyrically, as well as musically, it's another work of genius, and the playing...each member brought their best playing to the record, and this time around, they weren't afraid to really 'rip up their instruments.' I find it unbelievable the way that they can capture so much emotion and convey it to the listener via a recording; in one part about 15 minutes into the song, Simon Akesson 'borrows' the flute's melody at the end of Pt. 1, and uses it for his vocal melody line; between the words that he's singing and the passion in his voice, you feel like you are the one who sees Mary on the street after all those years went by. Did you ever come across an old lover that you never got over and stop to talk to her? Remember that chilly, uneasy feeling you had in that moment? Simon takes you right back there, and it has to be heard to be believed. Bottom line...this is yet another masterpiece from a band who is growing by leaps and bounds with every release, and it is really cool to hear what they are growing into. If you haven't heard anything else by them, by all means, don't make this your first...go out and least buy Lover's End first, because the more familiar you are with that album, the more amazing Lover's End Pt. 3 will be for you.

On a side note, I read a review of this release that said 'you have to look past the cheesy stuff', or something like that. I found nothing in this song that would fit that description; when the music is that well-written, the instrumentation is a beautiful as it is here, the lyrics are as profound and witty as they can be, and the whole thing is played and sung to jaw-dropping perfection, there can be nothing cheesy about it. This is 25 minutes of a perfect listening experience. Very well done, boys!