Night Flight Orchestra: Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough (Nuclear Blast)

Just one year after releasing their breakthrough album (and W&P Album of the Year) Amber Galactic, Swedish retro rockers Night Flight Orchestra are back to take listeners on a (yacht) voyage back to 1982. Their latest album, and fourth to date) is called Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough, and if you loved what this band was about on Amber Galactic, you’re going to love this one as well.

I suppose by now everyone knows this band’s pedigree, but it’s worth mentioning because it’s such an unexpected thing. Night Flight Orchestra is made up of members of metal bands like Soilwork, Arch Enemy and Mean Streak, most notably Bjorn “Speed” Strid and Sharlee D’Angelo. The fact that a bunch of death metal guys decided to play ‘80s style AOR is almost as surprising as the fact that they do it so damned well.

Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough is a complete throwback to the 1980-1984 rock scene, complete with nods to AOR, prog and yacht rock. Think Toto, Styx, .38 Special, Saga and April Wine. The songs are very catchy, very easy to sing along with, and very memorable. Speed’s vocals are ridiculously good in this setting, like Michael McDonald fronting REO Speedwagon, and he turns each song into a kind of story. From the rocking leadoff single “This Time” to the dreamy love song “Lovers in the Rain” (which sounds like it should have been the theme for a made-for-TV movie in 1983) to the boogieing “Speedwagon” and “Can’t Be That Bad,” this is one earworm after another. As with Amber Galactic, every song on Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough is a winner.

This is an album with a huge replay value, and one that is going to be getting a lot of spins before the year is out. It’s also a very strong contender for Album of the Year, and in a year with so many first class albums, that’s really saying something. If you’re already a Night Flight Orchestra fan, you’ve probably been spinning this album for a while now and don’t need a second opinion. If you’re new to the band but wondering if anyone could possibly capture that classic early ‘80s melodic rock sound, check out the clips below. You’ll be a Night Flight Orchestra fan soon enough.