When Saint Motel, an indie-pop band based out of Los Angeles with 5.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify, dropped “Symphony in the Sky” last February, I cried, danced, and vibed to some of the group’s best music yet.

Now I get to do it again, as “Afterglow” has arrived, the band’s fifth album. Released on Friday, this album is also their first independent album after splitting with Atlantic Records following the release of “Symphony in the Sky.”

“Symphony in the Sky was created during seasons of profound change – of gaining and losing those dearest to us, and within it, discovering a quiet, hidden beauty,” lead singer A.J. Jackson told Hashtag Magazine.

The beauty of “Symphony in the Sky” is carried into “Afterglow”, an additional 10 songs that continue the elegance and softness from its sister album.

“Like in Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, it’s often the second movement that slips free of time and space, carrying us into something greater than ourselves,” Jackson continued.

“Room With A View (For the End of the World)” 11/10 Double Giv Certified

Saint Motel goes off and running in the opening 50 seconds with piano instrumentals and an amazing beat. Jackson’s stunning vocal range comes in, putting the whole song together. Complimented by the amazing instrumentals — truly stealing the show — this nearly four minute long song resonates as a beautiful start to this second act.

This song is my favorite on the album, a rarity for an opening track. It’s a true feel good song that settles in the story Saint Motel is telling through this album that everything in life changes, and there is beauty in the impermanence of change.

“‘Afterglow’ brings it even further to a darker place, before it turns into this kind of uplifting spot that’s gonna end this album journey and set us up for where we’re going to be the next time,” Jackson said to Iowa Public Radio.

“Wait & See” 9/10

This song was the only one released as a single before the album’s release. Despite my rules for album reviews, I couldn’t resist listening to this before everything else came out. It’s another amazing piece that flows just as much as “Room With A View (For the End of the World).”

This song features another steady beat, behind some amazing vocals. It’s a simple song, but a steady love song never goes unappreciated.

“Hold My Breath” 10/10 Giv Certified

Jackson blows me away with his vocals on this song. It’s simple, but his range, his tone, his timbre. It can turn any song from a six to a ten. And it’s no different here. Starting with a quick violin solo, he sings behind instrumentals that make this song sound like it belongs in a romance movie.
“Someday, if I get better, where we can all stay and be together. And you can forget all of your worries and stress.” A simple chorus that’s sung to perfection in Jackson’s high ranges.

“Peace n Love n Anarchy” 9/10

In my previous reviews, the fourth song is normally where things fall apart, and we get a low rated song. Not today. Saint Motel continues their killer streak of great opening instrumentals, with a piano and drum duo for the first seconds.

From there, the song makes me float, truly invoking that “peace and love and harmony” feel Jackson sings about. This song, like the three before it, has excellent replay value and only adds to my list of Saint Motel songs to play riding in my car at night with the windows down.

“Let Me Down Gently” 10/10 Giv Certified

The standout of this song is that it might just have my favorite chorus so far. While the song’s meaning, about being let down, the song is beautiful. A simple song about jealousy and a failing relationship, something I have expertise in.

I was not let down gently by how close to home this song hit.

The instrumentals really get this one going. A combination of tenor saxophone, drums, and even trumpet mixed with Jackson’s amazing vocals truly put this masterpiece of a song together.

“Can I Paint You” 6/10

What happened? This song started so beautifully, almost like a classical piece. Then the song turns into something almost electronic or robotic.

The drumbeat does it such a disservice. The string bursts in sections of this song keep it from receiving a bad grade, along with the great ending. The overall feel of this song, going away from a classical composition and just completely away from the feel of the other songs, gives it a low rating.

I do enjoy the lyrics, with standouts like “And here I set a series of brushstrokes,” and “The world’s just a canvas. And maybе we should mix up the madness, and let the colors bleed into patterns.”

Everything works for this song except how Jackson sings and the electric guitar.

“Free Refills” 8/10

A danceable song is a Saint Motel staple. This song recovers the fumble from the previous one and keeps this amazing album moving. The instrumentals are done well on this one. I had to stand up and strike a pose while listening to the first 10 seconds of this song. From there, the drums continue to drive this poppy love song.

This song gives me “Copacabana” by Barry Manilow vibes. A song that feels groovy and makes you want to dance, but has the means to capture the loving and warm message about being there for your person when they need you most.

“Divine” 8/10

This song takes the electronic feel of “Can I Paint You” and does it correctly. This song feels divine, another peppy song that’s catchy and good to listen to. The flute addition is a big bonus that adds to the creativity of this album.

The background voices that repeat lyrics in the chorus are another great touch to this song that really puts it together. This song isn’t complex lyrically, but the simplicity allows for more appreciation for what makes the song great.

“Where The Sunset Goes” 9/10
This song sounds as beautiful as a sunset. The usual and beautiful Saint Motel openings pop off to start off this song, sounding very similar to “Fine Wine” from their previous album.

“Up & Away We Go” 10/10 Giv Certified

The pièce de résistance of this album, a culmination of their last two albums put together, “Up & Away We Go,” truly feels like an album closer. Equally sad, but like a final act being resolved, the ending of a story. The driving drumbeat reinforces this feeling.

Jackson’s vocals are calmer, not expanding into extreme highs and lows like in other songs, but it’s that calming presence that makes this song such a great listen.

“Up and away we go, head above the clouds” are the opening lyrics to this song, and it’s a great description of how this song makes you feel.

It feels like you’re flying.

Overall Grade: 9/10

Listening to “Symphony in the Sky” with “Afterglow” truly shows how powerful of a duo these two albums are. Where the symphony wasn’t as deep for me, it had multiple standouts that made it an amazing album.

“Afterglow” has the depth, with only one song scoring lower than a seven, multiple songs receiving nines and tens, and one even receiving an 11.

The album is also strongly supported by its structure. Each song feels in the right place, a perfect beginning, middle, and end, whereas “Symphony in the Sky” had arguably my favorite song of all time, “Steady Hand,” in the wrong place in the album (more on the symphony at a later date).

Besides “Can I Paint You,” it’s honestly a take your pick on which song to listen to. The album has some amazing replay value with songs for any mood.

I can dance to “Peace n Love n Anarchy” and “Divine”, cry to “Room With A View (For the End of the World)” and “Up & Away We Go,” and it’s the album’s ability to invoke those emotions that make it so good to me.

“Afterglow” begins precisely where “Symphony in the Sky” ends, each album completing the other and bringing this chapter of our band’s existence to its final cadence,” Jackson said.