NIGHTWINDS

Back in the day I lived in southern Ontario Canada.. I was blessed with great friends who loved music and we were blessed with a great local music scene. We had our favourite bands like Rhinegold, who were fronted by Gowan, but our ultimate favourite band was Nightwinds. Nightwinds was amazing. Nightwinds did lots of their own music. However, they did do some cover music too. They covered bands like Kayak. However, the band that Nightwinds loved the most was Genesis and this was because they said so. If you walked into a venue while they were playing a Genesis song you'd swear the actual Genesis was playing.

The band announced an album of their own material was coming and we couldn't wait. Sadly an album never came and the band stopped touring. We actually met Sandy Singers, lead singer one night, at a bar. We had all come to hear another band. He told us the band had started fighting while recording and had broken up and that the album would not be released. We were crushed. What a waste. We were saying are you kidding us? You have that much talent and are too foolish to get along.

I would check into Nightwinds periodically. Found out that over a decade late their album was released in 1991. The album gives a clear indication of whose music inspired them. Genesis and other melodic bands were obvious influences. Try to find their performances on YouTube including Genesis covers. However, Nightwinds' style was its own and unique and had depth, in the manner than early Genesis had depth. There is no wasted instrument and any note played by any instrument has purpose. When you listen to this album it is scary to think that this was their first album and that it had been recorded in an acrimonious atmosphere. What potential wasted.

Their musicianship was always extremely high level and this fact shows on the album. One is the key components of the band is the tremendous vocals of Sandy Singers. Sandy also had great stage presence. There are great vocals on this album. Great songwriting, great musicianship, great vocals and great depth. I have always loved music with great depth and the album Nightwinds delivers.

I have given this album an Essential rating because of what I know and what I saw. Nightwinds was an incredible band and it matters not that they didn't even give themselves the chance to rise to prominence. It is hard to think about what could have been, and what was to come, as this was only Nightwinds first album. Sadly, Nightwinds only album.