Four years in the making, For Those Who Caught the Sun in Flight is an example of slow cooking: a meal made right. Since 2010, the seven-piece ensemble has been road-testing a number of songs and releasing some on singles and EPs; the three best (and four more) now comprise the band’s debut album, one song for each band member.
Gizeh Records seems to be one big happy family, given the fact that two of the performers are also associated with FareWell Poetry. The bands also share a love of orchestration; these tracks do have vocal sections, but the vocals retreat for long, satisfying instrumental passages. This has been the band’s approach since 2010’s The Common Fire, and there’s no compelling reason to change it. The male vocals are reminiscent of Wayne Hussey (The Mission), and are augmented by sweet female vocals and choral contributions. The lyrics are sharp and intelligent, in part based on Vera Brittain’s autobiography Testament of Youth. The violin soars, the guitars surge, the drums explode. The intriguing blend of historical reference, baritone voice and instrumental cacophony may also draw comparison to iLiKETRAiNS’ debut, Progress Reform; but while that band began with a great sound and deserted it, Tomorrow We Sail began with a great sound and improved it.
Last year we reviewed Tomorrow We Sail’s 13-minute single For Rosa, a track which has only grown better with time. (Read the original review here.) The debut album builds up to that track, whose finale is fairly impossible to top. The album’s second-best track, “White Rose”, precedes it, and is noteworthy for a pure, harmonic, memorable chorus that includes the words, “We will not be silent”. “White Rose” has appeared twice before, including on its own EP, and it absolutely belongs here; it’s a killer. “Eventide” is the other familiar track, a languid, romantic work that fits well with the band’s influences and tips a hit to the gothic movement of the mid-eighties.
The new triptych of “Never Goodbye”, “December” and “Testament” is an example of the band’s newer work, an ambitious reflection of the post-WWI era that comes across as both nostalgic and modern. The first two are the band’s shortest pieces to date, evidence of creative extension. “Never Goodbye” addresses the familiar theme of lost time (first apparent on The Common Fire‘s “Threads”), soft piano alternating with light bursts of strings. The song’s emotion bleeds into the instrumental “December”, which erupts halfway through into a melodic, percussive swirl. “Testament” ends the triptych by showcasing Chan’s heavenly vocals and violin, which continue into the aforementioned “The White Rose”, illustrating the importance of fluid track sequencing; the flow is seamless.
Fans have been waiting a long time for this release, but the wait has been worth it; For Those Who Caught the Sun in Flight is a confident debut from a band who took its time to get it right. Those who catch them on the road this spring may have the opportunity to hear even more new songs, as the band continues to use crowd reaction to hone its already-pleasing sound. (Richard Allen)
Release date: 10 February
a closer listen 