CARE OF NIGHT – Connected
- Posted on 17-02-2015
A new AOR oriented hard rock act from Sweden that features former Seven Tears members Jonathan Carlemar (guitar) and Kristofer von Wachenfeldt (keyboards), Care of Night is a quintet that deliver uplifting music and hooks which would have been huge in the 80’s on their debut album "Connected". Think of artists such as Journey, Survivor, Chicago meets current artists leading the field such as Work of Art or H.E.A.T. and this will give you an idea of their song-oriented appeal. Saxophone passages make the ballad "Dividing Lines" heavenly, while the adrenaline pumping "Heart Belongs" and keyboard led "Contact" offer up great musical interplay moments and the chance for vocalist Calle Schönberg to stretch his natural flexible, soaring delivery.
Jonathan uses all the right licks and tricks when given showcase opportunity, coming from the school of Neal Schon and Steve Lukather in terms of musicality plus technical ability. The 7 minute closer "Say You Will" has a stripped down acoustic to electric foundation, swirling winds and orchestration heightening the emotion of the melodies – a different kind of ballad that proves Care of Night has dynamic capabilities that can separate them from the masses as it’s faster than "More Than Words" or "To Be With You" and the background vocals are serene and invite soothing sing-a-longs.
Bright production values, careful attention to sonic output and balance, and 10 songs that run the gamut from diversity in tempo and love/life/relationship topics – "Connected" is one of the early highlights in the AOR/ melodic hard rock genre. Care of Night may not necessarily be the most original in their approach, but you can’t fault the end results here.