Night Time
Night Time makes Killing Joke more melodic without making the band comfortable. Guitars retain their weight, the rhythm section remains firm and keyboards open up the atmosphere. Jaz Coleman also gives his voice more room to carry a tune. The result is easier to approach than the debut, though its sense of unease remains close to the surface.
The title track starts with real urgency. Its quick movement and cutting guitar keep the softer direction from becoming a retreat. Paul Ferguson’s combination of electronic and live beats helps the music feel both strict and physical. The force comes through the arrangement, rather than through an attempt to keep every sound rough.
Love Like Blood is the clearest example of the change. Its broad melody and spacious backing make the song inviting, but the rhythm and vocal keep it from losing its dark character. Kings And Queens adds a firmer, marching quality. Both songs find a useful connection between the band’s threatening sound and something you can readily sing along to.
The later material keeps the pressure present. Europe places an angular guitar line around Coleman’s large vocal delivery. Eighties closes with a particularly memorable riff and a strong rhythmic drive. The playing is direct enough to make an immediate impression without reducing the record to a series of simple pop choruses.
Not every passage is equally memorable. Multitudes and Europe are less immediately striking than the strongest singles, and the extra polish may disappoint anyone seeking the debut’s raw attack. Still, the balance works remarkably well. Night Time lets the band’s melodic strengths emerge without removing the tension that makes those melodies distinctive. It is a compact, purposeful album whose accessibility adds to its character rather than covering it up.
