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LOVER'S END PT. III: SKELLEFTEÅ SERENADE

Moon Safari

Symphonic Prog


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Moon Safari Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade album cover
4.65 | 154 ratings | 16 reviews | 74% 5 stars

Essential: a masterpiece of
progressive rock music

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Singles/EPs/Fan Club/Promo, released in 2012

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade (24:21)

Total Time 24:21

Line-up / Musicians

- Simon Åkesson / keyboards, vocals
- Petter Sandström / acoustic guitar, vocals
- Pontus Åkesson / electric guitar, vocals
- Johan Westerlund / bass, vocals
- Tobias Lundgren / drums, vocals
- Sebastian Åkesson / misc, vocals

Thanks to slaughternalia for the addition
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MOON SAFARI Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade ratings distribution


4.65
(154 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(74%)
74%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(18%)
18%
Good, but non-essential (4%)
4%
Collectors/fans only (3%)
3%
Poor. Only for completionists (1%)
1%

MOON SAFARI Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Marty McFly
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
5 stars So the Moon Safari did it again. From their first album "A Doorway to Summer" in 2005, which is good (but not the best) to their big success called "Blomljud" in 2008, to their 2010 equally (a tiny wee bit less likeable than previous album) great album "Lover's End" and through their first official live album "The Gettysburg Address". There I was quite worried about how their gonna pull it out. After all, their music is all about reaching perfection, seamless vocal harmonies, which I suppose is done by very careful studio recording, which takes a lot of time. It has to, otherwise it wouldn't sound perfect. But live album is, well, live. They've got only one try to make it right. It went on fine fortunately. So though their latest album "Himlabacken Vol.1" is a bit step down for me (but step down from perfection to still really good album - like from TLLDoB to "A Trick of the Tail").

The introductions are over, then where it leaves this album ? I'd rather think of this as a full album. Take for example 70s albums - you could find one sided "epic" track and the other side filled with 4-7 smaller tracks. This is is, sans the smaller tracks. And I always prefered the epics more anyway.

It's all there: beautiful / yet sad lyrics complex / yet melodic music long song / yet it doesn't feel boring non-native speakers / yet having good accents (AFAIK) another delivery of theirs / yet doesn't feel like "they've done this already".

Though there is at least one part which I think is a borrowing from their previous work. But it has different lyrics, somehow changed structure or something like that, besides it's just one part.

What remains the same is (let's face it) pessimistic lyrics, forlorn hope to the love that could have been, but didn't work out. Each of us knows this, it strikes us directly into our souls I dare to say. Yet, although so sad, it doesn't feel depressive. The same with "A Kid Called Panic", which frankly I find quite similar lyrically.

Also, if someone tries to tell me that he remains unmoved by the part starting at 14:42 and ending somewhere at 18:02, then there's a message for you man - "You've got no heart". That part is morphing into another part in the Skellefteå story.

5 stars, can't really go lower. I can listen this album repeatedly, like to returning to it, it has all the good elements mentioned above.

Review by Rune2000
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars It must have been tough for Moon Safari to restrain themselves from including Skellefteå Serenade on their third album, Lover's End, but I definitely support this decision since it made the album more consistent while giving the band a chance of releasing their first EP!

Unlike the two previous parts of Lover's End that are featured on the 2010 studio album, this third part is a sightly different beast that sounds more at home on the band's first two albums than on their slightly more assessable releases like Lover's End or Himlabacken Vol.1. Having said that, I just don't feel that the work here has the same high quality as those older releases. The composition feels much more polished and calculated than some of their rawer longer tracks from the pre-Lover's End era.

I remember seeing Moon Safari performing this composition during their 2012 tour where they labeled it simply as Lover's End Pt. III. To be completely honest, I wasn't all that into the band and their music at that point and actually considered this 20+ minute performance to be the concert's biggest letdown. This feeling has unfortunately rubbed itself off since I still don't consider it anywhere near any of their other highlights. The composition is really slow with each section feeling very dragged out for the sake of it. Normally, this is a good thing since it gives the listener time to acquaintance oneself with the music but there are just no enough memorable/distinguishable moments to push this composition alone during it's lengthy duration.

So far I've heard this composition eight times, two of which have been in a live setting, and I'm honestly still not convinced that it's as good as everyone seems to think that it is. Yes, it definitely has some great moments; My personal favorite comes at the solo section right around the 20 minute mark. But those moments can be summarized on one hand and the total composition time is not really as good as the sum of those blissful moments.

If you a big fan of Moon Safari then you've probably already heard this track quite a few times. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the band should probably begin by exploring either [Blomljud] or Lover's End since those two albums give a much broader perspective on the band's work. If you really like what you've heard on Lover's End then this EP and/or Himlabacken Vol.1 should be your next step in uncovering the music of Moon Safari. Please note that I by no means want to be disrespectful to all the fans of Skellefteå Serenade. If you enjoy this work then I'm really glad for you and it's unfortunate that I couldn't get the same level of enjoyment out of this composition.

*** star songs: Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade

Review by poslednijat_colobar
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Moon Safari ultimate symphonic prog work.

This is their best studio release to date, in my opinion, despite not being studio album, but just EP. Here, in Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade their music evolved to a new level of musicianship and songwriting. The musical ideas are developed and connected to one another with precise musical way. The parts of the composition are varied and intriguing. The progressive pop parts are again here, but they are not static and simplified as in all the studio albums; in Lover's End Pt. III: Skellefteå Serenade they are vivid, powerful and energetic, and you would like to listen to them again and again. The sound and the structure of the composition is developed in the traditions of best symphonic prog epic examples. First and only masterpiece edge for Moon Safari to date!

Latest members reviews

5 stars This one of the best songs ever written. Moon Safari really blew it out of the park with this track. The song is very different and has many great moments throughout it. I don't think a song has ever blown me away as much as this one does. One thing that stands out is the incredible vocals throughou ... (read more)

Report this review (#2633772) | Posted by VanDerProg | Sunday, November 14, 2021 | Review Permanlink

3 stars The first thing that shocked me about this album was its rating. 79% 5 stars is absolutely ridiculous. While I don't think this is the best prog EP of all time like this site says, it's without a doubt one of the best modern prog epics I have EVER heard. It's beautiful, it's charming, it's posit ... (read more)

Report this review (#2581286) | Posted by Gorgut Muncher | Sunday, July 25, 2021 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I'm having no luck at retrieving my former Cylli Kat account. So, I'm posting a few of my old reviews, Hope this is okay with everyone. Originally posted 2012-9-15 with some edits added. And, continuing in my clearly established vein of poorly written reviews: This band and song might not be ... (read more)

Report this review (#1999161) | Posted by Cylli Kat (0fficial) | Thursday, August 23, 2018 | Review Permanlink

5 stars "Lover's End Part III - Skellefteå Serenade" is probably Moon Safari's finest recorded moment to date. That is no mean achievement as the band have already laid to disc many memorable epics. This song brings together all the best aspects of the band's output in one stunning 24 minute masterp ... (read more)

Report this review (#1066986) | Posted by Nrwhmr | Saturday, October 26, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I'm swept away by a river of sparkling, cheese-filled childhood nostalgia with this epic from Moon Safari. Yes, I said it, sparkling, cheesy nostalgia. If you don't feel like a love struck little girl after listening to this track, you're in denial. This ability is this band's greatest strength, ... (read more)

Report this review (#1066301) | Posted by Kallisto | Friday, October 25, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Progressive Rock complacent? Yes, and magnificent. Maintains constant intensity, changes are never abrupt and with good development in ideas. The vocalizations and harmonies, as always, are poignant. The lyrics are lovely sadness. Paradoxically convey happiness. Sunny, bright, harmless. Excell ... (read more)

Report this review (#1041108) | Posted by sinslice | Saturday, September 21, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars This song is 24+ minutes of enjoyable time. So if you hate traffic, are waiting in the doctors office, bored stiff at work, etc... listen here... I have been listening to this song on a practically daily basis since its been released. It has such a remarkable magic quality to it that from start to f ... (read more)

Report this review (#1005375) | Posted by videator | Thursday, July 25, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars There's not much to say about this song. It has amazing melodies and arrangements. The vocal harmonies are charming as ever. This is probably Moon Safari's best product, everything was perfected here. The Moon Safari sound is at it's finest. The best parts from The parts I & II of Lover's End ap ... (read more)

Report this review (#899291) | Posted by itaymm | Friday, January 25, 2013 | Review Permanlink

5 stars 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 Mar ... (read more)

Report this review (#835609) | Posted by oddworld | Tuesday, October 9, 2012 | Review Permanlink

5 stars 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 ... (read more)

Report this review (#821215) | Posted by Cylli Kat | Saturday, September 15, 2012 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Or is this as good as it gets? Well, I was contacted by a fellow Safarinaut to write a review about this magnificent EP, as I have given it a 5 star rating, but with no explanation why. I think mostly it was because of my horrible penmanship but I'll give it another whirl for my favorite epic. Yes, ... (read more)

Report this review (#818623) | Posted by Huseberry | Tuesday, September 11, 2012 | Review Permanlink

5 stars 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 headphon ... (read more)

Report this review (#817455) | Posted by dhsuhaka | Sunday, September 9, 2012 | Review Permanlink

5 stars 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 ... (read more)

Report this review (#816178) | Posted by Slaughternalia | Friday, September 7, 2012 | Review Permanlink

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