Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterpiece, 19 Sep 2003
I have been a fan of Justin and New Model Army for dare i say- decades. I bought "great Expectations" on 7" vinyl when in my teens , and I am nearing 37 with "Navigating". He has never let me down, and has remained, not only one of my Heroes but a consistant artist of the finest calibre.
"Navigating.." is the sound of a singer/songwriter at his best. Haunting, evocative,stripped down to acoustic nakedness, yet layered with double bass, harmonica, strings, sounds of the sea and believe it or not, even a choir.
These songs are beautiful and yet powerful. They speak of solitude and passion, of nature and pain... a soundscape for sailors lost at sea, or beggars crashed out between the highrises.
It is a very valid, yet heartbreaking point made that this music will not recieve the exposure it deserves. As Albums go, "Navigating .." ranks alongside Kate Bush -Hounds of Love, David Gray- White ladder, Tom waits- Small Change, .. It sounds timeless and has all the marks of an album that will be as elegant in ten generations time as it is now. In a world drowning in dross it will be a lifebelt for lost souls for years to come.
A masterpiece,please buy this album.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
From The Valleys Of Green And Grey !, 9 Mar 2003
Justin Sullivan, the voice of New Model Army, returns with this thoughtful and at times mournful solo album. His voice is unmistakable and his delivery faultless on this collection of self penned masterpieces easily as good as anything NMA produced collectively. The songs are moving and haunting, Ghost Train is a stand alone classic. The single, Navigating By The Stars, is a simple example of what is on offer here. If you like NMA at their most sensitive (Green and Grey etc) then this album is a must for you. What a pity it is that, in these days of sanitised and record company created pop dross, this album will not get the exposure it deserves. Marvellous.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An instant classic..., 7 Mar 2003
... I've been playing and re-playing for weeks like I haven't done since my teens. While Justin's first real solo venture (there's also the rare live recording "Big Guitars in Little Europe") is a definite must-have for any New Model Army afficionado, the album's quiet, melancholy character gives it a much wider appeal. People have bugged Justin about a solo project, but he chose to deliver in good time and has now set in stone his reputation as one of the most gifted songwriters around.The title already suggests the work's seafaring Leitmotiv, a childhood fascination of the artist's already woven into many NMA songs. Keyboard, string arrangements and the sparing use of percussion help create the enthralling backdrop of calm, flow, and warmth to Justin's charismatic voice and the domineering acoustic guitar. Among the contributors to Ty Unwin's perfect arrangements are bass legend Danny Thompson and NMA's own Michael Dean and Dean White. While there is a substantial amount of new material among the twelve songs, some are already familiar to his live audiences, but the new renditions should come as a most welcome surprise. Justin is currently on tour promoting Navigating; more info available from the NMA homepage. A first single has also been released and while Twilight Home is not one of my favourites, the accompanying Sooner or Later ranks up there with the many unforgettable songs from the album. Blue Ship and Ocean Rising are my current favourites, but one has a feeling that there is always more to be discovered... To conclude: a truly oceanic masterpiece that's worth every penny!
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