Reviews

...Songs From the Lighthouse is a journey into gloom rock with progressive sounds completed with emotional vocals. The mood is heavy - very heavy and angst ridden. The opening track, "The Darkside," is a somber tune that drudges along slowly. Notes coming from the keyboards and guitar are held longer than can be normally heard, which only adds to the downtrodden feel. One may feel as if the weight of the world is closing in on them, but at least when doing so, one has the opportunity to hear a great written track...
www.hardrockhaven.net/reviews2008/april08/Moongarden%20-%20Songs%20from%20the%20Lighthouse.php

...To conclude, "Songs from the Lighthouse" is certainly a crucial step in the career of the Italian quintet. It is a strongly suggested release, carefully and detailed crafted in every single aspect that every prog-rocker should purchase.
www.metalperspective.com/reviews/moongarden.php

German review
www.derwesten.de/blogs/gerockt/stories/1776

...To my ears, Moongarden have really stepped up their game with Songs from the Lighthouse. The symphonic prog they create sounds both classic and yet very modern. Like their previous release there are some “alternative” elements but never straying very far from a symphonic prog foundation. In fact I’d say the emphasis on this release is at times more along the lines of the classic Italian symphonic bands that played with a harder edge. This is brilliant stuff and easily another CD that will be one of my favorites of 2008. If you haven’t clued into Moongarden yet….don’t hesitate, pick up Songs from the Lighthouse today!
www.jerrylucky.com/reviews%20k-o_010.htm

...Songs from the Lighthouse presents us Moongarden at their best, not only in terms of musical structuring, but especially in what concerns interpretation. For starters, the vocals are amazing. The slightly baritone used in some parts are easily transformed in higher pitchers when needed to impose a sentiment, as all the vocal work is highly emotional and powerful. And so is the music that accompanies it (or vice-versa for what matters). It took me sometime and some listens to really get into this album, but for the last month or so it is one of the cds that I most often put in my player. The musicality takes the best characteristics of the so called neo-prog (thoughtful melodic guitar soloing; emotional vocals; focus on “logical” composition and not that much on complexity) and then adds it with a slight alternative styling and a more symphonic-like keyboard work (many times thoughtfully disguised behind a wall of sound). This results in a modern and built-in sound where the whole interplay and layer construction is more important than individual show-off. In fact, it is precisely the way the instruments interact and especially how they are combined that impresses me the most about this album. It sounds easy-listening and “direct” while there is a well hidden and subtle complex architecture (not in each instrument layer, but in the sum of all instruments)...
www.silverdb.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp?txtCDID=25390

...Roversi has spent the time since the last album well, composing sufficient music to practically fill the new CD; at over 70 minutes this is a long album and, naturally, contains several long songs. The range of music is quite diverse, starting with a quite heavy progressive number, My Darkside, that makes good use of a variety of keyboards and displays how well the new guitarist and vocalist have slotted into the band. It's You starts as a rather nondescript ballad which unfortunately shows the weakness of Baldini Tosi as a torch singer, although things do improve when the guitars come crashing in, although the song doesn't really go anywhere and suffers from over repetition, a tighter arrangement knocking off a couple of minutes and ending the song with the final guitar solo would have improved things a lot. First of the songs that exceeds the 10 minute barrier is Solaris which has a very Eastern feel in both the guitar and vocal melody. Inspired by the work of director Andrew Tarkovsky the song is cinematic in scope, with an excellent variety in sound and a very impressive guitar solo that has a David Gilmoresque feel to it. In contrast Emotionaut starts with some 'scratching' and a more funky beat; the overall song reminds me somewhat of Jesus Jones from the 1990s who really pioneered the mixing of rock and dance music. An okay song, but not one that really inspires...
www.dprp.net/reviews/200820.php#moongarden

Swedish review
www.artrock.se/artrock2008/recension_2008_93.htm

German review
www.obliveon.de/pn-om/modules.php?op=modload&name=cdreviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=11472

French review
www.metalchroniques.fr/guppy/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=1411

Portuguese review
fenixwebzine.blogspot.com/2008/05/moongarden-songs-from-lighthouse-2008.html

German review
www.musikansich.de/review.php?id=5313

Italian review
www.babylonmagazine.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2861&Itemid=0

Danish review
www.fileunder.nl/archives/2008/05/moongarden_songs_from_the_lighthouse.php

German review
www.metal-district.de/cdkritik-4499-moongarden-songs_from_the_lighthouse.html

...Followers of neo symphonic progressive might be the ones who will get the most out of this release, dominated by melodies, layered keyboards and dreamy soundscapes as it is. People into melodic rock might also find this release intriguing, with the opening track My Darkside in particular having a strong commercial potential.
www.progressor.net/review/moongarden_2008.html

German review
www.metal1.info/reviews/reviews.php?rev_id=3006

Italian review
www.kronic.it/artGet.aspx?aID=2&sID=16530

French review
www.progressive-area.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=660&Itemid=2

French review
www.musicwaves.fr/frmChronique.aspx?PRO_ID=2711

...The rest of the album is simply great, musically and reasonably vocals-wise. "Solaris" is the best song on the album, with that great Gilmourish guitar solo. But I also love "Sonya In Search Of The Moon 4," mainly because of the tasty keyboards. And "My Darkside" is truly a dark song and a great opener...
www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=3566

German review
www.home-of-rock.de/CD-Reviews2/Moongarden/Songs_From_The_Lighthouse.html

German review
www.babyblaue-seiten.de/album_8945.html#oben

French review
www.musicinbelgium.net/pl/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=2648

I don’t know much about this band. I do know that Andy Tillison of The Tangent guests on one piece. I also know that this is a CD that proves that there is some great progressive rock – and I mean progressive rock, not alternative rock or hard rock or metal masquerading as prog – being produced. It also shows that when done right a little metal infused into the mix adds another flavor, rather than taking over the music. This has healthy dosages of both old school and neo-prog and is an excellent CD. Consider it highly recommended to all neo-prog fans...
www.musicstreetjournal.com/index_cdreviews_display.cfm?id=100583

Spanish review
manticornio.com/rock-progresivo/M/MOONGARDEN/songs-from-the-lighthouse.html

Italian review
www.hardsounds.it/PUBLIC/recensione.php?id=4076

...If you are into progressive music and not afraid to listen to music which searches it's boundaries you need to try this album. Best track for me is Solaris due to the brilliant solo in it. I also want to mention the track flesh which you can download. It has a brilliant violin solo in it. As a score i would say 8,5.
progressivemusic-ginfress.blogspot.com/2008/04/moongarden-songs-from-lighthouse.html

...It took me sometime and some listens to really get into this album, but for the last month or so it is one of the cds that I most often put in my player. The musicality takes the best characteristics of the so called neo-prog (thoughtful melodic guitar soloing; emotional vocals; focus on “logical” composition and not that much on complexity) and then adds it with a slight alternative styling and a more symphonic-like keyboard work (many times thoughtfully disguised behind a wall of sound). This results in a modern and built-in sound where the whole interplay and layer construction is more important than individual show-off. In fact, it is precisely the way the instruments interact and especially how they are combined that impresses me the most about this album. It sounds easy-listening and “direct” while there is a well hidden and subtle complex architecture (not in each instrument layer, but in the sum of all instruments). While some reminiscences of Pallas, The Tangent (this much more obvious when The Tangent’s Andy Tillison adds his unmatched and peculiar voice) and Pendragon (some Floydian guitar solos are, curiously, close to those of this band), the fact is that this album is particularly diverse and original when comparing to the majority of the albums labeled with the same “tag”...
www.proggnosis.com/MUSIC_DBCDInfo.asp?txtCDID=25390

German review
www.heavy-metal.de/?id=11741

...Emotion is what this band is about, and since it sends me on an emotional journey it works. The lead guitarist, when given a solo spot delivers. Check out "Solaris" to hear his playing. Its not technically flashy, just emotional in that Gilmour style. The band's only real downfall might be that everything from them will seem too familiar to certain people, but I think that their strong compositions will hold out. For example, check out "Flesh" and the mostly-instrumental song that has great atmospheric piano playing, and emotional violin solos. I'm not sure about their lyrics, as none were provided and I couldn't find them on any web sites.
www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6485

Portuguese review
progbrasil.com.br/ExibeResenha.php?eID=526

Portuguese review
progbrasil.com.br/ExibeResenhas.php?eID=1015

Italian review
www.loudvision.it/musica_recensioni-moongarden-songs-from-the-lighthouse--2062.html

Italian review
www.movimentiprog.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=Recensioni&file=view&id=2689