First Night - Deep Connection (album review)

First Night is a band from Estonia. South of Sweden. West of Russia. Not a household place for melodic rock and tough to find on a map. But this power house band from Nordic land has mastered the art of melodic rock like few bands on the scene today. Rather then being overproduced or riddled with compression and mindless noises, FN thrives on simple, big ear candy production ideas. The result is a stunningly pure minimalist foray into the world of Def Leppard with strong hints of Toto and Survivor along with other 80's reference points. The material on this album is well written and instantly finds a place in your musical consciousness. 

"These Hearts" opens this extended set with an instant melodic punch and could easily be considered a hit song. The chorus is big, the production is lush, and those Mutt Lange references are all over the place. "Little Love" combines bright keyboard flourishes with a crystal clear acoustic guitar. It's a real power ballad that gets brighter and more meaningful with each listen. I kept going back to listen to this one over and over. "Beginning of The End" opens with a flashy keyboard riff coupled with upbeat guitar work. The pairing is present from start to finish. Rather then opt for the big wall of sound, instruments fall in and build as the songs progress. "Savage Heart" follows this formula perfectly and includes a great storyline. "It's Only Feeling" is a moody late night driving tune featuring a churning rhythm section and a blissfully sparse arrangement. 

Keyboard intros are so cool. And "Love Me" has one. But then it builds into a great mid-tempo runner filled with all of the earphone textures your ears can handle. The choruses are large and impactful as if the songs are actually really good, which they are. Songwriting and production. Not one or the other but both! "Don't Ever Say Goodbye" showcases the First Night vocal blend by employing an instant hook and a chorus that you will hear in your sleep. And lets not forget the perfect guitar solo at the end.  "Someone" is a made to order top 40 song from 1987. All of these melodies are original even if they cheerfully borrow from the  bands we grew up listening to. 

"Is Your Love Alive" sounds like Toto stole Def Leppard's musical aura and decided to make a song from it. The hook is relentlessly catchy and captures every great 80's stereotype. "Talk To Me" pilfers from Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" mostly on atmospherics and tempo. All of this music is pleasantly derivative of other bands but still retains it's own identity.

"Suddenly" is slightly more pop oriented than most of the other songs, yet again it still retains the overall sound of this wonderful band. "Can't Forget" has a Journey Raised on Radio vibe with a punchy bassline and speaker filling keyboard flashes and those Def Leppard vocals. "In The Name of Love" starts with a long guitar intro that thoughtfully builds to the lyrics. When we get there we are totally ready for this epic song. 

By this point in the album, the band has added some real swagger to their musical footsteps. The hooks seem to get better. The choruses more memorable. I mean, wow! What an album! This is First Night's second album. Their first one was excellent. But the quality of material and musicianship here make "Deep Connection" an early contenter for melodic rock record of 2023. Just outstanding. Thirteen songs that will keep your ears happy and craving another listen. 

Album Rating 9.9