A DOORWAY TO SUMMER

With their second album, Blomljud, Moon Safari released arguably a prog classic, and one of my favorite modern prog albums. So of course, I had to go back in time three years to their debut, A Doorway to Summer.

Like Blomljud, the music is almost entirely unimpressive on the first listen. I mean, there's catchy beats, melodies and hooks like you wouldn't believe, but somehow the first time through you don't notice the depth. But there is depth to this music, depth that reveals itself after multiple listens.

The album opens pleasantly with Doorway, but it really picks up with Dance Across the Ocean. This is prog music that you could dance to! Which is not something you are going to hear very often. From the catchy chorus to the ba-da-bas that open the song, Dance is a stellar piece of energetic, uplifting music. Uplifting is definitely one of the best words to describe what Moon Safari pull off with their music.

A Sun Of Your Own is a grower; initially, it doesn't seem like much, but if you listen to it enough times, it just gets better and better. Songs like these suffer on albums that consist only of growers, but with every other song on this album grabbing the ear with irresistible hooks, you will hear this track many times to give it a chance to grow, while still enjoying the album. In a way, I've actually come to like this track even more than "Dance Across the Ocean".

Then comes the obligatory 25 minute track. A lot of modern bands seem to feel obligated to record long pieces, and so you'll often find a 20 minute track that doesn't quite hit the mark. Moon Safari are an exception. We Spin The World is one of the better modern prog epics I have heard so far; I would go so far as to say that it is even better than "Other Half of the Sky" off of Blomljud. Perhaps it is a little less "sweet" sounding, perhaps it rocks a little harder - I dont know. It is definitely my favorite track off of this album, and continues the track-by-track increase in quality. Some of the vocals even remind me of Roland Orzabol off of Tears for Fears.

Much like Blomljud, Moon Safari ends their album with a quieter track to follow the epic; in this album, it's Beyond the Door, which reprises themes from Doorway in a new way. It's almost like Moon Safari is saying, "You've seen what we can do ... now catch your breath."

So what makes Moon Safari different from the wealth of other symphonic rock bands out there? I would say that there are several things that give them their unique charm and make their music so irresistible to me. The first is that they are unabashedly catchy and fun. The second is the sunny, uplifting feeling that is present in their music. And finally, the stunning vocals that are among the best vocals I've heard in the current prog scene. (In this album, the vocals are not used quite as effectively as on Blomljud, but they are still top notch).

Currently, Moon Safari is recording their third album - posting pictures on their facebook of the snow in Sweden and saying, "This is why we make music that sounds like summer." And I am glad, because their back catalogue is far smaller than I want it to be, and music like this makes me want more of their music.

I highly recommend this album, especially to those who love upbeat music.