Swedish band Care Of Night gets a lot love from this website. All of their previously released albums (plus 2013 EP) are written up here. They’ve been off the scene for five years, but their return is most welcome.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Care Of Night
ALBUM: Reconnected
LABEL: Frontiers SRL
SERIAL: FRCD 1370
YEAR: 2023
CD INFO: Discogs Info List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Sweden
LINEUP: Calle Schönberg – vocals * Viktor Öström Berg – guitars, backing vocals* Victor Berg – keyboards, backing vocals * Niklas Svensson Nattfare – bass, backing vocals * Linus Svensson – drums, backing vicals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Street Runner * 02 Tonight * 03 Caught Feelings * 04 No One Saves The World Alone * 05 Melanie * 06 Half Of My Heart * 07 Follow Through * 08 Wrong * 09 End Of A Chapter * 10 Stay With Me * 11 You’ve Been Right Here All Along
RATING: 90/100
WEBLINKS: FB Page
Care Of Night Background
Swedish band Care Of Night gets a lot love from this website. All of their previously released albums (plus 2013 EP) are written up here. They’ve been off the scene for five years, but their return is most welcome.
Care Of Night feature two changes from their last 2018 outing ‘Love Equals War’. Gone is keyboardist Kristofer von Wachenfeldt, replaced by Victor Berg. Added to the lineup is bassist Niklas Svensson Nattfare. If you’re familiar with the bands prior material then it’s a case of resume transmission. That’s fine by us.
The Songs
The lead off track ‘Street Runner’ is a bombastic entrance. It became Care Of Night’s first up single and official video. Once listening to it you can see why. Check the video out below.
‘Tonight’ is next. You tend to hear more of the guitar work on this tune. It’s quite a tough rocker, highly melodic with keyboard touches just out of ear shot. But they are there.
‘Caught Feelings’ keeps things on a leash mostly. When it gets going, all of the ideas out of CON’s trick bag are revealed. The chorus and pre-solo sections are the apex.
With a song title like ‘No One Saves The World Alone’, you can guess it’s a ballad. And you’d be right. The arrangement is piano laden, filled out by an acoustic guitar wash and huge choir vocals. The latter reminds me of Grand Illusion.
The metronome picks up on ‘Melanie’. I’m glad that this form of AOR can still be played in the current day. Listen to this under a set of decent headphones.
And just like that, the pace drops off on ‘Half Of My Heart’. It’s part power ballad and anthem. The song is catchy, but the lack of tempo is very noticeable.
‘Follow Through’ is another track led by the guitar work of Viktor Öström Berg. There are a few reminders of previous songs from earlier albums on this one. It’s quite punchy.
The tempo is restrained once again on ‘Wrong’. The verdict would suggest a power ballad. ‘End Of A Chapter’ is a slow starter, but makes up for it with melodic power.
Stabbing synths lead off on ‘Stay With Me’. Now we’re back into the groove. A solid AOR track that is in my top three songs on the album. This is how we remember Care Of Night by.
The album finishes with the second ballad ‘You’ve Been Right Here All Along’. There are heartful vocals, ambient piano lines with the chorus picking up energy and power.
In Summary
For a first up listen, I was quite engaged across all eleven tracks. Care Of Night have no problem attracting my attention. For me, they have taken over the mantle of fellow Swedes Grand Illusion who finished up in 2011.
Musically, ‘Reconnected’ is that perfect hybrid of melodic rock, AOR with a touch of symphonic influences too. If you’re a regular of this site, and the bands that we cover, then Care Of Night won’t disappoint. A fantastic return, and just before Christmas too.
Care Of Night on Video
Street Runner
Click to go to YTM album page.
