Newman: Under Southern Skies

The 2010 Newman album The Art Of Balance, was a real watershed for Steve Newman and his band, finally seeing his bluesy, rich melodic rock receiving the credit that it has long deserved. Since then Steve has released another excellent album with ex-Praying Mantis frontman Mark Thompson-Smith, under the Big Life moniker and made a triumphant appearance with Newman at last year's Firefest festival. Maintaining a relationship that was formed at Firefest and first came to fruition with Big Life, Newman's latest album Under Southern Skies is released through one of the mainstays of the genre AOR Heaven and finds Newman continue to build on the momentum they have steadily been growing.

Always a band on the more mature and less frivolous side of melodic rock, Newman continue in the same substance over glitz vein, with a collection of songs fit to rival any of the long established acts in this genre. Newman himself handles all the vocals, keyboards and guitar (with the exception of the solo on "If He Loves You" performed by Shaun Bessant), with his long standing drum partner Rob McEwan, being the only other contributor. Impressively however this eighth studio effort from Newman, sounds in no way like a "one-man band", with the eleven songs on show here being full, rounded tracks with long lasting appeal. An under rated singer, Steve's vocals shine on Under Southern Skies, however it is actually his guitar work which makes the biggest impression across the album. With a tight staccato riff, the album's title track is an excellent example of Steve's six string work at its best, while "If He Loves You" combines a great riff with a killer chorus and some sumptuous keyboard embellishments to great effect. Equally as convincing are the slower numbers on this album, with "Strength To Carry On" leaving enough space for the vocals to take centre stage, while "Fire With Fire" would have been a huge, tear jerking chart hit in days gone by. The best however on Under Southern Skies is kept for last, with the uptempo and triumphant "Save No Prisoners", the simmering "Wish You Were Here" and the wonderfully paced epic "Montserrat" making for a stunning end to an excellent album.

A respected producer in his own rite, it's no surprise that Steve has created an album with rich textures and wonderful sonics, however they key to its success is the fact that it is crammed with excellent songs and great arrangements. If you haven't caught up with the rich and rewarding music of Newman yet, Under Southern Skies is an excellent place to start.

Track Listing
1. Killing Me
2. If He Loves You
3. Under Southern Skies
4. Strength To Carry On
5. Ghost In The Night
6. Without Warning
7. She's Gone
8. Fire With Fire
9. Save No Prisoners
10. Wish You Were Here
11. Montserrat

Added: September 18th 2011
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Newman Official Web Site
Hits: 2845
Language: english

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