Like
R.E.M.'s "Nightswimming,"
We Sing Loud Sing Soft Tonight captures the bittersweet sound of memory. Traveling a line somewhere between Low and
Windy & Carl,
Sonna evokes the feeling of a summer road trip across the middle sprawl of America with sunlight dancing on the dashboard, or warm nights in quiet towns during truck stop living. "The Opener" begins with a solid beat that marches into what could be
Mogwai on a happy day. Like
Mogwai,
Sonna is largely an instrumental affair. When they do utilize vocals, like on "We Sing Loud" or over the soaring repetition of "Sing Soft Tonight," guitarist Chris Mackie's abstract, hushed falsetto layers even more atmosphere. The building jangle of "Sleep on It" is a dreamy look skyward -- a flight to eternity and bliss that shows that rock music doesn't need words to move you. ~ Charles Spano