Lior Golan has been working on "Midnight Trains" for over a decade and it's evident in the opening bars of this EP. It's like music that must be composed, not music that's written for convenience. The entire EP was recorded live, giving it the same feel of being in the room with the musicians.
The first track, "Cruel Wind," is raw and honest from the get-go. The guitar is sharp and clear, the vocal has real emotion. The song has a definite sense of experience to it, from the outset it feels like it is personal.
The title song "Midnight Train" has a lot of confidence. The riff in the main guitar is the lead and the drums and bass continue to drive the song. The link between the musicians is clear to listen to, and the overall performance is focused and tight throughout the song.
The mood in “Keep Me Hanging On” is turned up a notch, with a female vocal that adds quiet power and emotion to the song. The guitar lines flow nicely throughout the verses, allowing the emotions in the song to be expressed naturally. The live recording is intimate and personal, as if the musicians were performing right in front of you.
Then “1991,” with Gabriel Just, steps up the intensity. One of the heavier tracks on the EP, with some great riffs and plenty of movement. It is a glimpse into Lior as a songwriter and an additional layer to the EP.
It is the final song, “You Tried Your Best,” which also features Gabriel Just. It begins in a more gentle area and then gets quite heavy. The change feels even more real and stronger, since it was captured live.
Lior's long musical relationship with Gabriel Lefelman, and the hardships that helped shape these songs, lie at the heart of the EP. It was an obvious choice to make the recordings live, preserving the natural moments and the energy, instead of cleaning them up later. There is no sense of trying to make it overly polished or of anything being forced. It's true and authentic, like it came from the heart and out to people.
