Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Newman
Label: AOR Heaven Records
Release: 2017
Duration: 55;43
Rating: 3.5/5
It’s hard to keep up with Steve Newman, the British music workaholic, multi-instrumentalist, singer, producer and composer. A new Newman album has barely come out and the process of creating the next one is already under way. The two years that pass on average between a new Newman album and its predecessor fly by as if they’d never existed. And so the renowned torchbearer of the British melodic rock and AOR tradition is already delivering his eleventh studio album to the market.
The title »Aerial« itself hints at a wish to change a few things compared to its studio predecessor. It sounds »brighter« and more optimistic, and also (if you like) more »airy«. We could even say »aeronautical«, which is what the theme of the opener Fear Of Flying hints at.
»Aerial« keeps all the trademarks of Steve Newman’s songwriting, which is nothing other than faithfully preserving the legacy of the traditional island school of approaching AOR music. These days, all you »eighties« AOR nostalgics who vividly remember the work of bands like FM, Strangeways, Heartland, The Kick… will be hard pressed to find an artist who looks back as openly, nostalgically and retro-soundingly at that classic British AOR sound of the eighties and early nineties as Steve Newman does with his current Newman releases. Quality-wise too. That said, we mustn’t forget the still very much kicking FM, plus the Overland and Shadowman projects, which make sure the flame of classic British AOR doesn’t go out even in 2017. »Aerial« keeps and pours out all the quality, creative focus, fresh ideas and of course the required fire, so that the repackaged and well-tested parade of AOR figures from more than two decades of Newman’s activity, now in a renewed wrapper (that is, on the new album), lights up again at full blast.
Still, the feeling is that in recent years a larger number of decibels has crept into the Newman sound (more distortion in the guitar phrasing), judging by the overall production picture of the albums, which, together with the current »Aerial«, go for a heavier sound while still sticking strictly to AOR retro-nostalgia.
Newman offer nothing new here, just a fresh, skillfully placed wrapper full of classic AOR tricks. And of course, it ignites. Not to ramble: »Aerial« is simply one more record that Newman got done with the excellence of a seasoned, experienced old tomcat. Simple as that. The man knows his craft inside out. Moods building up to a crescendo in a singable chorus that grabs you from the first listen. Layers of atmospheric vocal harmonies, modulations in mid-eight passages that loosen up the strictly compact song format, curtains of eighties synths floating over the riffs,… The songs don’t waver in quality and there’s no »stinker« on the album that would steal the listener’s time, or the other way round, make the artist »buy« that same time. Simple as that. The new, eleventh chapter overall keeps up all its quality. Just the way it’s demanded and expected of Newman.
Newman – Live to Remember (official audio):
Line-up
Steve Newman – vocals, guitar, keyboards
Production
Steve Newman
Track list
1. Fear Of Flying
2. Don’t Wake The Lion
3. Can’t Stop Loving You
4. Life To Remember
5. High Tonight (Aerial)
6. Vertigo (Leap Of Faith)
7. Two Sides
8. I Am Your Man
9. Always Strangers
10. Nothing Left
11. Still Bleeding
12. You Don’t Know Me
