"Between dog and wolf": your reviews!

[Guillaume]

For those who have received the cd...what do you think of the new album?

I've got it today in my box, i've just listened the album's first half for the moment (up to "Knievel" included) and i really like it.
A bit different sounding indeed, i really like the big, "pulsative" drum sound, very nice production, moody, atmospheric, a bit tribal, melancholic and melodic...

[Shush]

First full listen, very impressive. The promised multi layered drum work stands out well. Agree with Barty, knievel is a beautiful piece of music. Qasrel Nil Bridge stood out for me to. March in September with the base on a proper player also very pleasing.

Those who want the heavy guitar sound maybe a little disappointed, but for me, I listen to all the albums on a regular basis, so this sound as a variant is good alternative.

I think this will be NMAs chill out album.

Was that Ceri doing a lot of the backing vocals on the songs. ?
 

[peternotbaldyet]

Got 'Lean back and fall' on at the moment. That's going to grow on me too! As a whole the album has an atmosphere like a Leone film. Knievel is superb. The whole thing is like an aural film.

[Guillaume]

As a whole the album has an atmosphere like a Leone film. Knievel is superb. The whole thing is like an aural film.

I also thought about that!
The album has a movie feel, shot in Cinemascope!
A bit of "Navigating by the stars" feel at times but with percussive drumming all round.
Don't you think that "Seven times" is a kickass song with wonderful, simple, touching lyrics about our up and down journey through life? wow!

[marius]

Pull the sun is soooo beautiful

[Guillaume]

I think this will be NMAs chill out album.

Too early too soon to rate it properly but maybe it will stand the test of time like one of NMA's best albums alongside the mythic, legendary "Thunder and consolation".
What i can say is that the sound is richer, more dense than the sound of some of the last albums...more various in its textures and moods maybe?

Pull the sun is soooo beautiful

Isn't it?
I also like the obssessive, anxious groove of "I need more time"...up to exploding into desperate voices and guitars at the end of the track.
"Knievel" is beautiful indeed, but it should have lasted a bit longer maybe..

[Greboicus]

Halfway through now and absolutely adore it

[peternotbaldyet]

Hi Guillame. Before the cd turned up I've been watching the youtube stuff of the three new songs that were on there. Ceri absolutely batters that song on bass. In my first post on my album arrived thread I said it shades it as the best song. It has some damn fine competition though!

[Stephanie D.]

I listened to the cd once. Felt nothing. Not a song took me. I didn't dive into the atmosphere of all of them. I told to myself shit! what's happening ? so i wanted to listen to the cd twice. I felt exactly the same. But as i already wrote here or on FB i'm more into Metal and Rock music at the moment so i have difficulties to be in the music and the new songs that are for the most of them quiet calm. Justin was right this new cd is very different from the last one. But for TIAGD (and all the others before that one) at first listenning i liked a few songs,  i felt something. But for the last cd, no. The only thing i remember is the drum (great work on that). But didn't remember hearing a lot of guitars by Marshall, but it's a different CD from the last one, so that's why there's not much guitars. It's not the right moment to me to listen to Between Dog and Wolf, i can't really enjoy it because i'm in another musical sphere maybe even surely if i listen to later (next month or next year) i will enjoy more songs. But what I know is not my fav NMA album. :/ Honestly i feel Between Dog and Wolf like it was a new JS and friends cd.
I know it's a lot of work for a band to create something new, something different and it's also very hard. I respect that, but sorry for me it's not the best. What is the most important is the band like what they do after it's good to know what people think of the album but if some persons like it or not it's not important and that's life ! A CD can't please everybody if you're in a band and you want to please everyone, you won't like what you will do in music. So i repeat myself but if NMA like Between Dog And Wolf is the most important thing !

[Shush]

Hello Stephanie That's good and honest of you to say what you feel. A forum is made better with a counter view.  I am sure others will also be disappointed from the lack of power guitar etc.
As far as I am concerned, its an album now in the set of NMA albums. Across that spectrum, you do have several different sounds reflective of the period they were made, and the changing of the line up co-writing. This one as I said earlier is perhaps their chill out album. Across the range of albums, you can find heavier guitar music if you want it, and some very fine ballads if you want that instead, or a raw more aggressive sound from the early albums.
I have always got the impression that Justin writes music more or less as he likes, rather than aiming for what he thinks people may want. If people like it great, if you don't, then don't buy it.

As you said, give it time. I have always found with albums that I now love, they have needed to be listened to several times before I get them.

[Guillaume]

I've just listened to the album on the whole (finally ) and i understand the "Justin Sullivan and friends" feeling Stéphanie talked about but for me it's not really a problem because i think that Justin Sullivan's solo stuff ("Navigating by the stars") is his  best accomplishment ever, ex aequo with "Thunder and consolation"
"Between dog and wolf"  is a bit of a strange album, experimental a bit like the very divise "Strange Brotherhood" was in 1998.
It's not perfect, it's maybe slightly too long and a bit wandering in places but i still respect the band to trying something a bit different from their usual rock, raw and more immediate sound (i mean..."Qasr El Nil Bridge", what a unique, unusual sound for a NMA track  ), even if it has still the band's stamp (echoes or "Carnival", "Strange brotherhood" and "Eight", here and there)...sometimes i felt about "world music" too, Peter Gabriel, the album takes the risk to be atmospheric and less "in your face", somewhat more abstract, almost soundtrack like.
More later... ( "Ghosts" is an intriguing closing song, i like the lyrics, again)

[declan cowdrey]

Not sure
Sounds Very drum machine and chanting!
Meditative 😲
But like most of the albums I have
Been unsure of , when I hear it live
I will be blown away again
Looking forward to that 👍
Amazing artwork on cover and sleeve
As usual
👏

[lupus225]

It's way too early for a proper review but anyway...
I listened to it about 5 or 6 times since Thursday and I like most of it, that's for sure.
Lean back and Fall is a bit boring, the rest is really intense.

Personal favorites are Horsemen, 7 Times, I Need More Time (I thinks that's the Peter Gabriel reference?!), Stormclouds (WOW!!!), Knievel, BDAW.

[declan cowdrey]

By the way.., I know it's not a fu--ing drum machine
Sorry Mr Dean !!!

[Pisti]

Blown away! What an album!