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"With “Colour In Sound”, Newman has rarely shown himself to be so destabilizing, even if the massive incorporation of electronic notes does not disfigure his identity."
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3/5
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For almost three decades, Newman has been producing one album after another without any real missteps. The Briton has succeeded in imposing a very distinct identity, drawing on a keen sense of bewitching melody and a relatively deep, easily recognizable voice. For his fourteenth studio opus, still supported by his compadre Rob McEwen on drums, the multi-instrumentalist attempts to bring new nuances to his music, which he wishes to present as color in sound.
“Colour In Sound” thus arrives with the integration of a large number of electronic notes, the first effect of which is to send Newman back to the AOR territory from which he has tended to stray in recent years. A track like 'In Euphoria' even leans towards an airy Westcoast, despite some slight guitar protrusions. The title track, meanwhile, mixes new-wave and synth-pop effluvia, while the introduction to 'Games' sounds like something out of a Depeche Mode album. This is likely to unsettle some fans of the English duo, even if it reflects a real risk-taking and artistic rethinking.
And yet, Newman 's identity is always evident, with his ability to constantly come up with a catchy melody that never lapses into over-simplicity, as well as a hyper-catchy chorus. When not overloaded with electro trappings, the AOR is extremely elegant ('Afterglow', 'Can't Stop Falling'), while the hard melodic of 'Wake Of The Wanderlust' or 'War Against The Mind' makes us wish it were more prevalent. We also note the originality of 'Cascaded', alternating AOR-electro-pop verses with a catchy, melodic hard chorus. Finally, the ballad 'Who Holds You' is also worth a listen, with its vocal-keyboard duet gently building in intensity.
With “Colour In Sound”, Newman has rarely shown himself to be so destabilizing, even if the massive incorporation of electronic notes does not disfigure his identity. It's true that the singer is mastering his art more and more, and that he's backed up by a guitarist whose finely chiselled solos are like luminous pearls. It remains to be seen whether the Briton intends to continue in this vein, or whether this opus will remain no more than an experiment to further develop his skills. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Godspeed - 4:49
02. In Euphoria - 4:57
 03. Wake Of The Wanderlust - 5:01
04. Afterglow - 4:34
05. Colour In Sound - 4:06
06. Cascaded - 4:03
07. Games - 4:00
08. Can't Stop Falling - 4:45
09. Who Holds You - 4:06
10. War Against The Mind - 4:53
11. Line Of Fire - 4:35
LINEUP:
Rob McEwen : Batterie
Steve Newman: Chant / Guitares / Basse / Claviers
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3/5 (1 view(s))
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STAFF:
3/5 (1 view(s))
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