Eight [CD]

By far NMA are taking much effort and attention for every song they put out (even their B-side collections like "Lost Songs" are outstanding in many ways). I dont share all of their political thoughts as I am more optimistic regarding the ability of the western world to cope with the challenges ahead.

Nevertheless their lyrics are a class of its own - unmatched by comparable alternative rock acts.

The songs on Eight are:

"Flying through the smoke" - a spell binding folk rock track gathering gradually in momentum and exposed fury till it bursts into a final explosion - disturbing and absorbing at the same time.
5 out of 5

"You weren't there" is a ballad carried by a quite simple but nevertheless atmospherically tense organ-like keyboard tune. The lyrics are dealing with the gap between media reality and hands-on experiences. A catchy slow track, but losing a little bit its magic by hearing it again and again.
4,5 out of 5

"Orange tree road" displays the romantic power and vitality of NMA at its peak. The song comes along like a 4 minute road movie - fast and emotionally engrossing. Once again the rather sweet though dynamic melody is brought by a earshrapnelling organ-keyboard tune, which fastens its grip the more you listen. The lyrics deal with memories of lost love, dedication, renewal and life being an endless journey. One of the best songs NMA has ever written.
5 out of 5

"Someone like Jesus" is a spartanically instrumented ballad, which didnt get a grip on me at first. But dont underestimate this song, appearing still on the súrface, but exposing a dark yet fasicnating realm of sound and word the further you are diving into it. I got more and more - literally !- soaked into this song and came to appreciate it as one of the best elaborates NMA has created so far. The lyrics deal with the sinister side of sanity.
5 out of 5

"Stranger" and "R&R" are more or less average stuff for NMA benchmarks. Good rock tracks anyway, but I miss the special enchantment the other songs enfold so impressively.
3-3.5 out of 5

"Snelsmore Wood" was pubslihed before as a live track on "&nobody else". Both versions dont differ much, though I prefer the tense atmosphere of the live act. The song is first just filled with the permeating voice of Justin and the rough sound of the acoustic guitar. In this track actually Justin reaches a level where he directly penetrates into ones mind - really invading in every aspect! The song eventually erupts in an e-guitar solo dripping into the melody like a chain of raw diamants. The track stands paradigmatically for NMA finding a highly exciting synthesis between a raw, unfiltered and emotionally tense sound.
5 out of 5

"Peakakriki beach" fits well as some kind of relaxing exercise. Sound and lyrics unit to a hymn for a more peaceful place "away from the battlefields" of life.
4 out of 5

"Leeds Road 5am" is a story-telling folk rock song reminding me of some of the works on Springsteen's "Nebraska".
4 out of 5

"Mixam" has an infectious groove line, but dealing with NMAs favorite topics (blind mankind tumbles further to the apocolypse), which sometimes get a little bit annoying to be honest.
3,5 out of 5

"Wipe out" is the dignified closing track of the album and a stirring poem to the sea, kind of redemption song. The guitars are oscillating between soft chords and rougher uptempo, again NMA at its best.
4.5 out of 5

So to sum up...a strong buy :-)

This album really sees NMA returning back to the days of an album representing their sheer passion they feel about music, life and Yorkshire! Much like Ghost of Cain, this album is honest. Even though I have been well into NMA for years it is true to say that over-production has been a part of some of their albums. If you have seen them live over the years then you'll know what I mean.

Raw passion comes out of this album and I must say, if you have never got into NMA even after 20 years, the time is now!

Set those comparisons aside for the moment. Purge "Vagabonds" and "Stupid Questions" from your mind and listen to EIGHT on its own merits. Some of Justin's best material ever is here. "Flying Through The Smoke", with its tribal drumming and layered percussion, sounds like the club that Justin is describing. The drum breaks and sudden attack of the guitar add a fantastic tension and drama. "You Weren't There" should be required listening for all television news employees the world over -- a logial follow-up to the brilliant "Deadeye" (the b-side to "Vagabonds", and a classic all its own). "Paekakariki Beach" is wonderfully serene; "Leeds Road 3AM" shivers and quakes its way into your mind; "Mixam" is the sound of youthful defiance tempered by the experience of encroaching middle age; and I'm not sure that I have the vocabulary to adequately describe or pay homage to "Snelsmore Wood" (an NMA classic if there ever was one, and one that sounded even better on NMA's recent 2004 US acoustic tour).

Please don't compare this to THUNDER AND CONSOLATION. Nothing at all compares to THUNDER AND CONSOLATION. This album is as good, and in some cases better, than anything else they have done, and this is saying a great deal. EIGHT is a truly wonderful album - do not miss out on this one.