Act 1: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies

Act I: Goodbye Friends Of The Heavenly Bodies
Studio album by Neverending White Lights
Released	September 27, 2005
Genre	Rock
Length	79:01
Label	Ocean Records Canada / Maple Music Nationwide
Producer	Daniel Victor
Neverending White Lights chronology
Act I: Goodbye Friends Of The Heavenly Bodies (2005) Act 2: The Blood and the Life Eternal (2007)

Act 1: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies is a 2005 multi-artist collaborative album by Neverending White Lights. Conceived by Daniel Victor, it features lead vocal performances by members of different bands, including several well-known Canadian acts, such as Our Lady Peace, Finger Eleven, Alexisonfire, The Watchmen, Creeper Lagoon, and Age of Electric.

Sonically, the album mixes diverse ambient textures and symphonics with drum loops and melancholic vocal melodies creating a style of ambient indie-pop/rock much different and more experimental than other acts in the same class. It was Victor's debut album as a writer, producer and performer. The album as a whole took 4 years to realize from start to finish and proved very trying to complete.

The first single off the album, "The Grace", features Dallas Green, and was originally entitled "Grace of a Happy Death". The single was a big hit in Canada (hitting # 1 on the video charts and # 3 on the radio charts) and brought the project into the mainstream almost overnight. Two more singles were released afterward ("Angels & Saints" and "Age of Consent"). A series of connecting videos were coincided with the singles (known as the NWL video trilogy) where Victor played a dream-like Victorian character searching for an angel love interest (played by Canadian singer-songwriter Emm Gryner).

Tracks that were to appear on Act I include another track sung by Daniel Victor entitled "Head Down", "Throwing Chairs" featuring Jonathan Foreman of Switchfoot, "John Dies at 56" featuring Mogwai, "Shipbuilding", an Elvis Costello cover featuring Andy Yorke, and "This Is My Fate", another track featuring Dallas Green. They were all cut for various reasons.

The album led Victor to many award nominations and wins, including "Favourite Single of the Year" (Indie Awards) and "Favourite Group of the Year" (Radio Music Awards) in 2007. It also gave Victor his first Juno nomination for "New Artist of the Year" (at the 2007 Juno Awards).

Track listing

I: The Hour Arrives

1. "From What I Once Was" – 5:55

2. "Angels & Saints" – 3:10

3. "Age of Consent" – 4:08

4. "Ending of a Story" – 3:31

5. "Return Our Lives" – 6:00

II: My Angel, My Queen, My Death, My Treasure

6. "I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty" – 6:23

7. "A Littlepiece" – 4:45

8. "This Longing" – 5:43

9. "Of All the Things You've Done Wrong" – 3:06

10. "Tired of Saving Souls" – 5:20

11. "How Could I Survive" – 2:58

12. "The Grace" – 5:19

III: A Pale Nation Sleeps in Misery

13. "First Days of Spring" – 5:50

14. "Liar" – 3:45

15. "Life Is a Dead Scene" – 4:58

16. "Our Final Hymn" – 8:08

Guest Vocalists

Act 1: Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies (2005)
Song	Artist	Band
1. From What I Once Was	Daniel Victor	Neverending White Lights
2. Angels & Saints	Chris Gordon	Deckard
3. Age of Consent	Nick Hexum	311
4. Ending of a Story	Chris Gray	The Black Maria
5. Return Our Lives	Judah Nagler	The Velvet Teen
6. I Hope Your Heart Runs Empty	Scott Anderson	Finger Eleven
7. A Little Piece	Marco DeFelice	Supergarage
8. This Longing	Daniel Greaves	The Watchmen; Doctor
9. Of All the Things You've Done Wrong	Nathan Larson & Jason Martin	Shudder to Think & Starflyer 59
10. Tired of Saving Souls	John Campsey	Sleepway
11. How Could I Survive	Sharky Laguana	Creeper Lagoon
12. The Grace	Dallas Green	Alexisonfire; City and Colour
13. First Days of Spring	Matt Talbot	Hum; Centaur
14. Liar	Raine Maida	Our Lady Peace
15. Life is a Dead Scene	Todd Kerns	Age of Electric
16. Our Final Hymn	Jimmy Gnecco	Ours