NEWMAN - review added 12th October 2008
Album Review: Decade (2008)
For fans of: hard rock... and value for money
Decade is a collection of re-recorded and re-performed Newman songs ripped from their first 5 albums and dusted off from the cutting room floor. These albums often suck; the re-recordings never match up to the original songs and the cutting room floor songs should have stayed there.
However, not having come across Newman before, I came to this with the innocent air of a faerie's bottom burp. I cannot comment on how this compares to the original albums so I'll treat it like any other wholly new release.
Steve Newman (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, production) is clearly a very talented guy. He has a warm sandpaper ensconced voice with a unique tone and can knock out guitar solos with the best of them. To be honest, the man's pretty handy at writing a catchy riff and memorable lyric too. The production isn't as impeccable as it should be, but it's still perfectly agreeable and gives the album a relaxed character that suits the music.
Musically, Newman grab their influences from far and wide. If you like the rocking side of Journey, Giant and Foreigner (with a few ballads thrown in for good measure), you won't go far wrong here. Songs like 'You Should Be Gone', 'The Way You Love Me' and 'Dangerous' stick in your mind so resolutely you'll need a paracetamol to remove them. If these songs had been recorded by major artists, chances are they would have charted around the world. Even the lesser tracks, although missing the last ten percent of magic, have a certain charm to them that invariably demands one more listen.
This is a great collection of hook-laden melodic tracks. The fact you get two whole cd's, one of which is filled with previously unreleased songs, makes it great value for money. Even if you have the other Newman albums I heartedly recommend this disc.
Check out... The amount of good music you get. Awesome!.
What does this score mean ?
Track List:
Disc: 1
1. One Step Closer
2. Heaven Knows
3. Every Moment
4. Last Known Survivors
5. If It's Love
6. Ain't Gonna Cry Forever
7. You Should Be Gone
8. Pray For The Day
9. Taboo
10. Save Me Tonight
11. Call
12. Dangerous
13. Way You Love Me
14. Judgement Day
15. Burned
16. I Know You
17. Watching You
Disc: 2
1. Coming Home Tonight
2. Life After Love
3. Tell It To My Heart
4. Change
5. Can You Hear Me Now
6. Hands Around My Heart
7. All She Wants
8. Don't Ever Say Forever
9. Love Never Dies
10. Can't Stop Falling
11. All Of Me
12. Emotions In Motion
13. World Comes Down
14. When I Look In Your Eyes
15. 15 Minute Revolution (alternative)
16. Primitive Soul (acoustic)
17. One Step Closer (alternative)
Label: Chrome Dome Music
Band websites: Steve Newman
