Some wonderful posts here, some folks loving FH, some a bit disappointed... I've enjoyed reading them all. I'm onto my, I dunno, sixteenth listen? And I can confirm that I really love this album, but I suspect it will forever be one of those diversive albums in NMA's history. Much like, for example, 'Carnival'... I spent many years regarding that one as one of NMA's lesser efforts. Rarely listened to it, until a couple of years ago when I stuck it on for the first time in donkey's years and it immediately became a favourite.
Now I'm fully familiar with FH, certain tracks have really sprung out at me that I wasn't too keen on at first, Great Disguise and Conversation in particular. There are very few 'bangers' (as I believe them young people call them these days
) but there are some very catchy tunes here. Ones that I suspect will go down better when you hear them live in a sweaty and appreciative audience. I can think of a few tunes that I never quite 'got' until I heard them played live...
And if anyone still thinks 'it's just crap compared to the old stuff'... fair enough! You're entitled to your opinion and I respect it. Truly. But we can all name those bands who just recycle the old stuff, over and over again, to ever-decreasing results in the hope of hanging onto their dwindling audience. NMA are better than that. There are some damn fine songs here. Would any of those folks prefer 12 songs that sound like deeply inferior versions of Vagabonds, Green And Grey and No Rest? Or a band who try new stuff and say 'what the heck, let's see what people make of it?'
I really like FH, hope others who aren't too keen come to feel the same way. If not, hey, maybe the next album will be more to your taste! Because FH sounds like a band with quite a bit more petrol in the tank, if you know what I mean.
