Hamilton, Ontario natives, Moonlight Desires are dropped a brand new EP entitled At The Movieson July 17, 2020. The four song collection features covers of songs from some of the most iconic movies from the beloved 1980’s. As someone who grew up with these movies and songs, I jumped at the chance to write a review for this release.
Cinematic classics such as The Goonies, Breakfast Club, Dirty Dancing, and my all-time favorite, The Karate Kid are all represented here. What is cool about this release, is that all of these songs get injected with a big dose of hard rock love while still remaining faithful to the original version.
Right from the start, the band has my full attention with their rendition of the Peter Cetera classic, “Glory of Love” from Karate Kid II. This is already one of my favorite songs ever, and these guys just made it even better. Love the big, monstrous guitar solo and the vocals in lower register. They have made this into a true power ballad.
Next up is “Hungry Eyes” from the Patrick Swayze blockbuster, Dirty Dancing. These guys truly nailed it when it comes to choosing the right songs to cover. Adding a harder rock edge to the song really emphasizes the already moody and vulnerable side of the song.
Oh, and the magic doesn’t stop there. Transporting us to Astoria, Oregon, the band gives us a raucous and fun cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough” used in the timeless favorite, The Goonies. Moonlight Desires really went all out on this one and breathed new life into the song and made it extremely enjoyable for both old and new fans.
Bringing the curtain down on the EP is a revved up version of “Don’t You (Forget About Me) from the John Hughes masterpiece, The Breakfast Club. I can’t help but feel that Judd Nelson’s character in the movie, John Bender would be raising his fist to this amazing cover of the song that leads him out and into the credits.
I have always been a fan of bands like New Found Glory and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Bands that take songs that we already know and putting their own spin on them. Moonlight Desires have done the same here with some of my favorite movie soundtrack hits. I highly recommend this album to anyone who is looking for something fun to listen to, wants to take a super-charged trip down memory lane, or maybe a little bit of both.
Rating: 8/10 Stars.
I’m Music Magazine Writer Jason “Supes’ Mesa
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