Newman

Decade II

Crash course in AOR pomposity.

Look up the word ‘persistence’ in a dictionary, and a photo of Steve Newman will stare back at you. With his self-named band, the Brititsh musician has spent 20 years becoming a master craftsman of melodic hard rock. Regrettably, their quality music – a moreish fusion of AOR, hard rock and 1970s-style pomp – has yet to yield commercial benefits, but this sampler stands as testament to a criminally overlooked talent.

Decade II cherry-picks Newman’s latter-half highlights from Primitive Soul to their penultimate record, 2015’s The Elegance Machine and presents them in re-recorded form. Repeating the format of 2008’s Decade, a second disc compiles 17 previously unreleased tracks from the corresponding time frame, including a half-dozen omitted from the band’s most recent album, Aerial.

Newman and his band apply deft musical chops to engaging, arrangements and deep, delicious hooks. From the likes of Headed For Your Heart and Under Southern Skies to the ballad Fire With Fire, the results can only be described as lush and satisfying.

If you’ve heard the name and been tempted to check out Newman’s music but never quite found the time, buy this