Rating: 9.1 / 10

Prior to listening to Hurricane Bells, lead vocalist Steve Schiltz was tightly bound to that of his fantastic band, Longwave.  Once ravelling himself in magnificent chords and poignant drumming consistent throughout Secrets Are Sinister, it now appears Schlitz is exploring the ambiance and serentity outside of his former act.

Despite toning down his latest sound on a more personal level, Tonight Is The Ghost (Vagrant) unfurls a new side we haven’t heard yet from Schlitz.  With remnants of the old, the man at the helm briefly appears as a pseudo- Jim James (MMJ) with “I Will Sing You Songs” in mind.  A most similar comparison is “I Can’t Remember“which sounds as soul-searching as the folk-inspired “Freezing Rain“, which just so happens to be just warm and inspiring as freezing rain is cold.

As if the album didn’t make you feel as though you were on a cross-country trip like that of Jack Kerouac, the album flows from one end of the turntable to the other in one easy listen.  It would be tough to not mention “This Year“, one of Schiltz’s most heartfelt songs to date, or even the thumping instrumental “Tenterhooks“.  If you’re looking for something to compare Longwave to, perhaps “Winters In New York” would be the best comparison.  Although to state any song here is not more than a few fractions away from the original would be misleading.

If you’re looking for a similar song to the unsatisfactory “Monsters” from The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack, you might be unwittingly surprised at what you will find here.  With Schiltz’ first side project now behind him, Tonight Is The Ghost may provide a late entry into many of this year’s greatest album lists.

MP3: Hurricane Bells – This Year (buy)

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