In a global appreciation, it is a wonderful album! One of the best I've heard during these last times. Catchy, soft, energetic, it is an well done and complete piece of work.
The first song is The Choice. I was always apologist that the first song of the album must be a song that represents better the album and a hit single, a song to be reminded for ages, like Trash of Coming Up by Suede or I Feel You from Songs Of Faith And Devotion by Depeche Mode. But, The Choice is not a hit single, it is a very calm and soft song, with a marvellous ending and a "growing up" feeling that truly represents "Become The One You Love". You, Heaven Is Here or Forever In Negative are much more "singlier" songs but, this song fits very good as an introduction and changed my way of thinking about first album songs.
Down In The River, has a good guitar riff, a great chorus, and it is very speeded up. It's not one of my favourites, maybe it is my less favourite song of the album, but is a good song. It will be the band's second single. I would prefer You or Heaven Is Here but is a logic solution. You must hear the simplicity of the guitar riff and the way it gets stuck in your head.
Then we have the first single, Forever In Negative, one of the best moments of the album. Very melancholic, but at the same time, very powerful. The E-bow solo is wonderful.
Next is the first song that Sean and Richard made public, Submerged. It is very much the same it was before and that's good, because it's a great song. You really feel like flowing on the song while you hear it. The connection between guitars, keyboard and voice is perfect. The song really carries you on.
You is, for me the "hit" song of the album. Really, really catchy. The repeated "You" during the songs just turn it easier to listen, the intro riff is great, the interlude too, and the chorus can be on your ear during the entire day, be careful! Brilliant, one of the best songs. Pure Indie-Rock. Backing Vocals are 5 stars.
After 4 songs full of adrenaline you must have a ballad, and it happens with A Homecoming. Very good, Sean's voice is perfect and the way you go to a climax of a song and then to a calmer part is very enjoyable and gives a epic feeling that almost all Artmagic's songs have.
Heaven Is Here, is a well known song by McGhee's and Oakes' fans and we already had access to a acoustic version of it (I Keep On Walking EP) and a great live and electric performance on it on their Youtube channel. This version is very different from both of the previous ones and that can only be good to the fan! I can't decide the one I prefer, but to have 3 versions of a song that I adore is great! Synthesisers are very welcome here, the backing vocals are great and the speed of the song very takes your breath away! Great!
To recover your breath nothing better than Half-Life. A sad and calm song, very nostalgic, that fits very well on this part of the album. The arrangements are great and the mix of the several guitars, voices, and sounds is great. Perfect to rest after a hard day of working when you need to enter a chill out mode.
Blue On Blue is a song that, I don't know why, is perfect for a walk in the city. It sounds like a conciliation of souls. Very good and perfect to enter on the end of the album.
At first listen, I didn't gave more attention to The Spark and it was a mistake because is a darker and mysterious song. It starts slowly, withou a great beat but at the middle of the song it turns more intense and the "I Wish You Could Run Away" it is very energetic but, at the climax it goes to one of the best moments of the album that is a part full of voices, very beautiful and introspective. You must hear it, words can't describe it very well.
To end the album you always need an epic or a different song. A special song. And it is The Gift Of Flight. A beautiful ballad, full of positive words and thoughts and at the end, the perfect way of ending this magnificent piece of work, with a outro just with "Love Is Weightless, Fly Free" with great drums, piano and a great work of guitars by Richard! Very epic!
In a resume, it is one of my favourite ever albums, and a great work of Richard after he left Suede. He is a great musician, and the songs that he wrote during these 7 years of silence are great. I would love to see Suede in a more or less same direction because these are, as I said, very beautiful.
Last week I made a list of 10 albums that I would take to a desert island, and at the end I named some that could have been of the list as well, and Artmagic's first album has a great potential to make it!
I really counsel the album to everyone. A great piece of Art fill of Magic!
No comments:
Post a Comment