NEWMAN - review added 18th March 2010
Album Review: The Art Of Balance (2010)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and big chunky voices
Our last taste of Newman (the band name of the over-talented Steve Newman) was his Decade release; a collection of re-recorded, re-performed tracks from his other albums. It had plenty of good material and served as a great taster for this record.
The Art Of Balance is a fully original studio recording featuring Steve on vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards and production, and Rob McEwan on drums and percussion. Mark Thompson Smith (co-writer of a couple of tracks) and Geoff Wootton contribute backing vocals. Steve does have a live band, but this album (recorded at his The Blue Room studio in the UK) is not too far from a solo effort.
The sound is solid, hearty hard rock with bags of melody and a very memorable nature. If you like his other releases, there is no way you'll be disappointed by this album. The musicianship is excellent throughout, belying the fact one guy played the majority of it.
'Hero To Zero' kicks things off. It has a drawn out intro leading into a song with an urgent drum sound. Steve's vocals are as chunky as ever, and the song's chorus is pleasantly catchy. 'Edge Of The World' has an even better chorus. In fact it's not far off being as good as choruses ever get. 'Endless' recalls the heavier end of older Journey and more. It's got a wonderful timeless feel, even if the chorus isn't as good as the first couple of tracks. The pumping 'The Miracle' has a laid back charm beneath it's bass-heavy exterior. Again, it's a song you feel you've known for years.
'Stay With Me' is a very pleasant ballad. It isn't sickly-sweet or overly emotive, but it really is jolly nice. 'Tumble Down' is a mature take on the sounds of the 1980s. It isn't perfect, but there are some superb melodies and guitar segments in there. 'Wish You Well' reminds me in places of Journey's 'Edge Of The Blade'. The similarities are not all-consuming though, and the track works well as a standalone entity. 'Find My Heart' is another oomph-laden ballad with a fine sound.
'Your Surrender' picks the game up a few notches. The chorus is so feel good it'll make you smile like the Cheshire Cat. 'Break It Again' has an even better chorus. It's a great track that balances its quieter moments beautifully with the loud ones. 'Forever' is another of the loud ballads, and it's the best of the lot. Love that chorus! Final track 'Stronger' is a thumping finish to the album, offering a great chorus and brilliantly warm sound.
There's no doubt The Art Of Balance is a fine addition to the Newman catalogue, and it's definitely up with his best releases. It could do with another couple of really big songs but that's all. Steve Newman's characterful vocals and the superb musicianship conspire to make this a more-than-worthwhile purchase for fans of beefy hard rock.
Check out... The overall quality.
Track List:
01. Hero To Zero
02. Edge Of The World
03. Endless
04. The Miracle
05. Stay With Me
06. Tumble Down
07. Wish You Well
08. Find My Heart
09. Your Surrender
10. Break It Again
11. Forever
12. Stronger
Artist's website(s): Newman , MySpace
