The Love of Carnival

[Amandistan]

I often read people say that Carnival is their lease favorite album. I admit that it's nothing like the older albums but still a wonderful album.  Another Imperial Day is one of NMA's finest lyrical moments  IMHO.

Then they have Red Earth, Blue Beat, LS43 and Island!

could someone please explain to me how people don't like this? 

Or explain why you do like it? 

For me it's one of their best.

[Intothewind]

Really great this album, not my fave but better than Brotherhood to me.

The other day I listened to Ghost of Cain and this back to back, surprisingly it held up really well. Go and listen to them both together it's interesting!

Think it would be even stronger with the B-sides 'fall in love with' and 'One bullet' added, great songs these. 

Overall not their best album but still a very strong one.

[Bunny]

Carnival was one of my interim albums, after drifting away from NMA after LOHC, for personal reasons not because of the music. I rediscovered it/NMA around 2009, which was again for personal reasons. Split up with my ex, saw em for the first time in Leamington Spa (after a disaster in Birmingham....long story). So I kinda rediscovered High, SB and Carnival all at once. At the time I didnt give it much of a listen cos it didnt hit me as much. Gotta say now it has some of my favourite songs on it. I think it holds its own.

[Master Ray]

IMO, Carnival wasn't an album I disliked... I've never disliked an NMA album... it just didn't strike a hugely resonate chord with me like other albums did when it first came out.  It was 'just another NMA album' (if such a thing exists...)

Recent listens have totally reversed my opinion.  I now rate Carnival highly.

[Pol]

Carnival is definitely another great nma album. If i remember at the time I was just coming out the other side of some personal issues and actually went to tour gig before i had heard the record n loved it straight away, i of course went out and bought the cd asap. Part of the problem is nma have so much brilliant material that we get spoiled for choice

[Johnz]

One of my favourite albums and a real milestone in their development. Even though they are constantly evolving, there seem to be 'leaps' in maturity where they really progress. BDAW and LOHC fall in the same category, IMHO. In contrast, High and TIAGD are more conventional (but I love them too).

Just my opinion though.

[Shush]

This album is a bit special. I listen to it and like it, then leave it for a long time, forget about it, for some time, then re-discover it again.

At the end of the day, it cost me a few quid, the price of a pint and a half. those I piss away like they never happened.

Carnival I can re-discover for the rest of my short life again and again. I respect with absolute gratitude the chaps who wrote it for me (as one of many)

Although there are several songs I like and get now, I think the rest of the album I will get eventually.

I would like to thinK that is exactly what the writer had in mind at the time of writing.

Tonight in my local while waiting for my choice of NMA song to come on, we had to wade our selves through a lot of dance music. I looked at those who paid to listen to it, they were not bothered, or moved  when it came on. When my songs came on by NMA, I felt justified by the pleasure they gave me for my un-popular choice.

If Carnival is , as it is, a less popular album, then it is to me at least, the lesser of two evils.

WE ARE ONLY MADE OF WAAARRTER. 

[paul74]

Red Earth, Fireworks Night, Carlisle Road, Island, Bluebeat all great songs that would make it on to any other NMA albums imo:)

not too keen on the opening couple of tracks though!

[lotus]

I love Carnival 
Red Earth (the drums, same shiver as Leeds Road..)

[texaspete]

Big themes on this record - maybe the finished mix was not perfect for the band ?
When you think about it, it has some huge classic NMA tracks !

Just turn up the vol to 11 on Carlisle Rd !

The idea of the Carnival of life and all it encompasses. I think JS had a go at a quasi-concept album and it 90% paid off.

It's a shame most people don't invest more time with this album.
The truism is that the ones you persevere with always end up being the most appreciated.

Plus as we know the more you listen to an album the more things click !

TXP

[Guillaume]

Another Imperial Day is one of NMA's finest lyrical moments  IMHO.

It's a great, bleak song, for sure.
I really liked "Carnival" first times i've listened to it but i don't know why, i became bored and i haven"t listened to it in years...maybe it's time to come back to it?
It has many good songs and moments but i don't know why, i don't think it "flows" so well..."Water" and "Prayers Flags" aren't especially great tracks, i think, though i like "BD 3", "Red earth", "Another imperial day" and the closer "Fireworks night".

[Pazza]

One of my favourite NMA albums of all time and always will be, will always come back to it, you need to play it fecking loud with loads a bass and let it wash over you, there's a lot of power in this album, and don't forget mosh favourite Island is on it, along with Another Imperial Day, and Bluebeat, and Prayer Flags, one NMA song I've never seen love sadly. Red Earth is just immense, that slow and steady build to a power chord climax.. What's there not to like??

[Johnz]

BD3 never seems to get any mention. I love that track. Great rhythm. Really benefits from being played loud.

[c]

Carlisle Road.

Fantastic track.

When the album came out, my eldest was quite young. That track got to me; I wondered how I could protect him.

[peternotbaldyet]

Fireworks Night. Possibly Justin's best song ever!?