Album- Tribute
Artist- John Newman
John Newman has been one of the biggest new stars of 2013.
After winning over the public in 2012 with his feature on the Rudimental hit
‘Feel the Love’, the singer has emerged as a successful solo artist in his own
right, with the musician securing a number one single and a number 1 album in
2013. 2014 will likely see the musician continue to rise in his taking over of
the charts, but is Tribute worthy enough, and does it have a few more hit
singles? Or should Newman go back into the studio and try and make better
music?
Track 1 Tribute
Title track Tribute opens the album up in quite a grand and
almost cinematic way as the singer runs the listener through a long list of
other artists who have influenced his music. It is quite impressive the sheer
amount of people that the singer runs through, whilst the intense build-up of
the strings makes this a really impressive and intriguing opening. Then the
song evolves into this musky, Wild West feeling, guitar led piece that features
some cool, choir like background vocals. Here the singer goes to the roots of
his love of soul and sings of how he has learned to channel his passion and
words into his music because of other artists, and his music is as much for
other people and artists as it is for personal reasons. The lyrics are simple
but effective and the singers belting, gritty vocal is just the right amount of
passion. The lyrics are also very nice in the way that as a listener you can
relate them to your own life in different ways, whilst the stomping drums and soul
flecked rhythm of the song is just powerful enough and makes this a stellar
tribute indeed, with the final slice of jaunty piano just being a fun end for
the track.
3.5/5
Track 2- Love Me
Again
The records lead single and Newman’s first solo number one,
Love Me Again is a stomping slice of soul pop in which the singer is in an
intense state of heartbreak. Here we find Newman singing of how he understands
that he has done wrong, and now he simply needs to know if this girl can love
him again. What is really smart and catchy about the lyrics is the way that the
verses are quite layered and meaningful with an almost poetic quality, but then
the chorus just takes things to a really simple level with the repetition of
one line that simple shows the purity of the singers emotion. This purity can
really affect you as a listener, and what makes the song more powerful is the
impressive vocal performance from Newman, who sings the song with all the
desperation and passion of a man who is truly in love. Producers Steve Booker
and Mike Spencer also produces a great sound for the record with the bubbling
piano melody, clattering drum beats and stirring strings, giving the song an
extra layer of emotional intensity and craziness.
4.5/5
Track 3- Losing Sleep
Continuing with the heartbreak and emotionally intense vibe,
Losing Sleep finds Newman in a state of ill feeling without his girl by his
side. The song lyrically focuses on Newman asking his girl to not forget him
and to continue to want and love him whilst they are away from each other. The
passionate statement is made all the more powerful with the singer’s gravelly
and intense vocal tone, whilst the handclapping beats and delicate soul pop
piano of the production just creates this vulnerable but also slightly frenzied
sound that makes you really believe that Newman is actually losing sleep over
this girl.
3.5/5
Track 4- Easy
With the opening of this track things are definitely shown to
be emotionally vulnerable, as we are treated to just a piano line and the
delicate vocals of Newman. Then the song evolves into this bass heavy, passionate
analysis of how love is a difficult thing to navigate. What is nice about Easy
is that the singers range is shown off nicely and whilst he does give us a big
and commanding vocal performance, he also shows a bit of control and brings out
the weariness of the lyrics. The lyrics are pure and simple and tap into that
feel of not being able to understand love very easily. And with the blend of a
delicate piano line with heavy drum and bass and flourishes of strings, this is
a simple heartbreak song that goes straight for the heart.
3.5/5
Track 5- Try
Try finds the singers sound diverting a bit to more 70’s
disco inspired rhythms, but with the singers vocal tone that old school soul
presence still remains. Here we find the singer simply reflecting that he will
try to bring this person home and make them feel love even if it is not what
they say they want. The lyrics don’t quite grab you in the way that the
previous tracks have but the deep vocal performance adds gravitas to the
lyrical message, whilst the use of a choir in the track gives a slight gospel
feel to the song that adds more passion. The jaunty strings and snappy piano
creates a bubbly dance rhythm that adds some diversity to the singer’s music
and brings more influences into the record as a whole.
3.5/5
Track 6- Out of My
Head
Opening with a delicate piano melody, Out of My Head marks
the most simplistically composed piece on the album at this point. The song
finds the singer shutting himself of from the pain of his loneliness by telling
us of how he gets out of his head, and how love just ends up hurting you in the
end. The song is lyrically pure and quite touching as it is intriguing to see
Newman express the idea of not being consumed by loneliness by getting out of
his head, yet within the track there is this overarching sense of Newman
actually still wallowing in his loneliness. The emotionally wrought vocal
performance is powerful and although this style of vocal could have not had the
same impact on the listener at this point in the record, the songs more
simplistic style with just the piano and strings makes for the songs emotional
intensity to be more effective and not feel like we are listening to a typical
Newman song.
3.5/5
Track 7- Cheating
Second single Cheating finds Newman finally taking a step
away from being the heartbroken, intensely in love person. Instead we are
treated to Newman simply telling this girl that if she wants to go and cheat on
him then she should just go ahead, because she is just going to be a cheater
for the rest of her life. The lyrics are sharp and cutting with the narrative
style of the verses creating this really cool picture of a venomous woman,
before the punchy chorus takes the song into a higher gear and shows Newman as
this loving man who just can’t take this relationship anymore. The vocal
performance is really great as the singer gives a commanding, snappy
performance, with his gritty tone bringing out the sentiment of the song
brilliantly. The addition of the gospel choir towards the end is awesome, and
with the blasting horns and sassy soul rhythm of the track, this is a great
song where you can finally see Newman beginning to take control of his
relationship in his own way.
3.5/5
Track 8- Running
Pulsing mid tempo track Running focuses on Newman as this
man who keeps running in this relationship where he keeps going away from this
girl who is bad for him, but the he keeps going back to this girl. Lyrically
this is one of the poorer pieces on the record as although some lines are
actually really brilliant, the lyrical composition as a whole is too repetitive
and borders on cliché. The vocal performance is also not as exciting or as
passionate as you may want it to be, and at this point the weary, emotional
style of the vocal begins to wear thin. The pulsating rhythm of the track is
nice and the gospel styled backing vocals add some depth to the track, but this
is not enough to make this a really worthy addition to the record.
2.5/5
Track 9- Gold Dust
Gold Dust finds the singer in a state where things are
changing around him and now he can be in this state where life is good and
there is no need to cry anymore. The message is sweet and brings some light to
the record. However this is the only thing that really brings appeal to the
track, as the vocal performance lacks the charisma of some of the previous
songs. Furthermore, the piano led production with the gospel background vocals
and jaunty guitar rhythm just creates a plain sound for the song that feels
like something Newman could have made in his sleep.
2.5/5
Track 10- Goodnight
Goodbye
With the haunting strings that permeate the track from the
start, Goodnight Goodbye is shown to be an emotionally powerful piece. With
this track Newman looks back on this relationship where he believes he should
have done and said more, and that although he has to move on he will still love
this girl. The lyrics are palpably pure and heartfelt, whilst the chorus has a heartfelt
essence that is touching to listen to. What is nice about this track is the
lofty feel of the chorus and the way that Newman vocally shows off both the
strength of his voice, but also gives us more of a controlled vocal performance
and brings out the sadness and vulnerability of the track very beautifully. The
mix of strings, horns and bass creates a simmering but intense sound to the
track that will make this a nice song to hear live.
3.5/5
Track 11- All I Need
Is You
The album’s closing track nicely has more of a 60’s feel to
the soul pop production and once again allows the singer to show off some of
his different influences within this record. The song is simple in its lyrical
intent as the singer tells this person that whilst he is fighting through life,
really all he needs is this one person. The message is simple but catchy and
the gravelly vocal performance brings depth to the meaning behind the song, with
the way that Newman sings the word ‘you’ being a quirky and catchy element to
the track. Whilst the use of a gospel choir may become a bit of an annoying
musical trait of Newman’s for some listeners, in the context of this track the
choir works really well, whilst the simple sound of the piano and drums gives
the song a light texture that acts as a simple, nice end to the record as a
whole.
3.5/5
Final Review
Tribute is a stylistically strong debut album from an artist
who definitely shows a lot of promise and who will likely have a great career.
The singer’s distinctive vocal tone really adds weight to the lyrical meaning
of each song, with the lyrics being nicely compiled into this sense of being
catchy for the masses but smart and sophisticated for different types of
audiences. The production value of the album as a whole is really smart as
well, being slightly varied enough to keep you engaged as a listener but being
rooted in a soul pop sound that feels right for Newman’s overall persona as an
artist. This being said, the album does have its issues. The quality of the record
definitely starts to slip towards the latter half, and there is only so much of
the passionate vocal, gospel choir and soul formula you can take before you
start to become a bit bored. But Newman definitely has enough going for him to
keep you excited, and he definitely feels like an artist who will go from
strength to strength with each album that he releases.
7/10
Best Track- Love Me
Again
Worst Track- Running
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