Although he is literally closing out the album, it feels like a real goodbye from the bygone era of the band, full of brash, sometimes clumsy sax, before – perhaps – looking towards a more thoughtful nature of the music to come.
The Midnight have created a monumental album in Monsters – no matter how you look at it. Fans of the classic, Nocturnal-era band may be a little disappointed there aren’t as many “flagpole” songs in the album – but there is so much more.
Monsters is The Midnight in their final form. Every track is surrounded by a palatable haze of ’90s nostalgia, and is drenched in subtlety, nuance, style, elegance, and bounds of talent. All of these factors elevate the album to become one of their best records yet. There may be one-too-many interludes in the 15-track album – it’s too soon to tell – but all of the fully-fledged songs include ripping guitars, saxophones, synthesisers, and gorgeous ballads – enough to piece together a perfectly balanced album. Monsters is a truly remarkable album, and The Midnight are here to stay.
The Midnight’s Monsters is available on iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, and their official website.