So... the big 'From Here' thread...

[ManxPat]

Listening again its become more apparent to my ears that musically its a bit unfocused. Drones n atmos are great but good words need that groove or melody to shine on em

[justanotheronethen]

I think the new album is stunning.
Makes me drift off on the autumnal morning walk to work.
Bloody love it.

[lupus225]

I put FH on the shelf for now.
We just don't become comfortable with each other.

[Digital Man]

The album is unfolding and I'm enjoying, I skip the first 2 tracks as they seem to meld into one another but I'll come back. But this album has one song that I just can't like: Setting Sun.  It seems like Justin has marbles in his mouth and is slurring as well. First vocal that I just can't enjoy. But the last song, From Here, stellar, seems almost prog in a way. I'm enjoying it more than Winter as it only had a couple of standouts.

[spstreeter]

Absolutely love this album. It took a few listens but I am hooked and I would absolutely introduce this album to a friend who is not familiar with the band. As a matter of fact, I plan on buying a few cd's at their shows and then sending them off to a few friends. Anyway, Never Arriving, Hard Way, From Here, End of Days and Conversation are my current favorites. About the only song I am struggle with is Maps. Honestly, I am just grateful they are pumping out the tunes.

[cthulhu]

I put FH on the shelf for now.
We just don't become comfortable with each other.

Do you mean the whole album? FH has this album feeling and i just put it in and let it go on, but aren't there any songs for you on it? Like Never Arriving or From Here, for which you would take it from the shelf? And what do you listen to instead from the past albums?

The album is unfolding and I'm enjoying, I skip the first 2 tracks as they seem to meld into one another but I'll come back. But this album has one song that I just can't like: Setting Sun.  It seems like Justin has marbles in his mouth and is slurring as well. First vocal that I just can't enjoy. But the last song, From Here, stellar, seems almost prog in a way. I'm enjoying it more than Winter as it only had a couple of standouts.

Finally someone who shares the theory of Passing Through and Never Arriving are ONE song!;-)
I can hear what you mean by "It seems like Justin has marbles in his mouth and is slurring as well" and to me it is so noticeable that i was wondering about it combined with my impression that there are some moments which sound a bit "peaky" in the mix, but it is not so that i cannot enjoy the song and i love Setting Sun, one of my favourites.

Absolutely love this album. It took a few listens but I am hooked and I would absolutely introduce this album to a friend who is not familiar with the band. As a matter of fact, I plan on buying a few cd's at their shows and then sending them off to a few friends. Anyway, Never Arriving, Hard Way, 

Good Idea. I imagine someone totally unfamiliar with nma getting From Here as a present, will make them stunned even if they wouldn't like it totally. That's just taste, but anybody can hear the creativitiy and craftsmanship and moods and passions on it.

[Guillaume]

But the last song, From Here, stellar, seems almost prog in a way. I'm enjoying it more than Winter as it only had a couple of standouts.

i agree about 'From here" (the track and the album) being overall more satisfying than the previous album "Winter"

I imagine someone totally unfamiliar with nma getting From Here as a present, will make them stunned even if they wouldn't like it totally.

i like the new album too, but i'm not sure i will recommend it first to someone who has never heard of the band, i will recommed more albums like 'Thunder and consolation", "High", "Eight", "Impurity", "the love of hopeless causes" or "Between wine and blood". 
"From here" has the 'prog", heavy drums, tribal, atmospheric moods we know from the band since "Between dog and wolf"...quite different from the others albums with their more immediate, simple, catchy anthems and choruses i identify with the band.

[cthulhu]

i like the new album too, but i'm not sure i will recommend it first to someone who has never heard of the band, i will recommed more albums like 'Thunder and consolation", "High", "Eight", "Impurity", "the love of hopeless causes" or "Between wine and blood". 
"From here" has the 'prog", heavy drums, tribal, atmospheric moods we know from the band since "Between dog and wolf"...quite different from the others albums with their more immediate, simple, catchy anthems and choruses i identify with the band.

That's true and i kind of see it the same way, but as you said, from your point of view it is about what you identify with nma, and that depends on the time you discovered them and how they sounded then. But i think someone who listens to From Here and likes it, will also be stunned about the other albums and how they sound different. And the essence of nma, beautiful songs that tell a story, is always there on any album.

[Tony S]

Absolutely love this album. It took a few listens but I am hooked and I would absolutely introduce this album to a friend who is not familiar with the band. As a matter of fact, I plan on buying a few cd's at their shows and then sending them off to a few friends. Anyway, Never Arriving, Hard Way, From Here, End of Days and Conversation are my current favorites. About the only song I am struggle with is Maps. Honestly, I am just grateful they are pumping out the tunes.

Welcome to this forum
I'm loving the whole album too. Funnily though, if I had to choose just one track from it to listen to, it would be Maps ! I find it a stunning track. I love the imagery of the lyrics - "our maps are filled with pictures of strange sea creatures. They thrash their tails, their eyes are rolling, in the towering water". Makes you think of the old nautical maps that had those sort of illustrations on them. And all the while, there are keyboard, cymbal and drum sounds that are like huge waves crashing against a ship, and wind in the sails. My partner also noticed (which I hadn't initially, and I'm the NMA fan, not her !) that the cello line running through it is very much like the old sea shanties - the "heave away, haul away" kind of thing
It's fantastic through headphones !

[Johnz]

Welcome to this forum
I'm loving the whole album too. Funnily though, if I had to choose just one track from it to listen to, it would be Maps ! I find it a stunning track. I love the imagery of the lyrics - "our maps are filled with pictures of strange sea creatures. They thrash their tails, their eyes are rolling, in the towering water". Makes you think of the old nautical maps that had those sort of illustrations on them. And all the while, there are keyboard, cymbal and drum sounds that are like huge waves crashing against a ship, and wind in the sails. My partner also noticed (which I hadn't initially, and I'm the NMA fan, not her !) that the cello line running through it is very much like the old sea shanties - the "heave away, haul away" kind of thing
It's fantastic through headphones !

I agree. Maps really draws you in but I have to be in the mood for it. I either skip it or get completely immersed in it. It's the sonic version of being on a boat, swaying from side to side. Love it!

[lupus225]

@cthulhu
For me, FH has some "OK" tracks (Never Arriving, Maps, FH) but at the moment none of them stands out and I just do not have the desire to listen to the record again and again, as I had with Winter for example.

As to your other question:
Some personal favorites from previous recordings were Horsemen, March im September, I Need More Time, BDAW, Guessing, Angry Planet, Devil's Bargain, Guessing, Winter, Devil or Born Feral.

Apart from Guessing (old school NMA but great), these songs sounded fresh and new for a band "that old"
To me, much of FH sounds "too familiar".

This is my personal opinion and it's totally subjective 

[Guillaume]

As to your other question:
Some personal favorites from previous recordings were Horsemen, March im September, I Need More Time, BDAW, Guessing, Angry Planet, Devil's Bargain, Guessing, Winter, Devil or Born Feral.

Apart from Guessing (old school NMA but great), these songs sounded fresh and new for a band "that old"
To me, much of FH sounds "too familiar".

This is my personal opinion and it's totally subjective 

I see somewhat the career of the band like a "trilogy"...first the "Robert Heaton years' from VENGEANCE to STRANGE BROTHERHOOD...then the "Justin Sullivan years" from EIGHT to TODAY IS A GOOD DAY and finally the "Between dog an wolf years" with the band sounding more "prog rock", moody, wandering, tribal and also a love for long tracks.

BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF was really a new beginning for the band, they really tried a kind of new sound here, and so that's probably why it got mixed reviews from the fanbase!     
 

[Master Ray]

@cthulhu
For me, FH has some "OK" tracks (Never Arriving, Maps, FH) but at the moment none of them stands out and I just do not have the desire to listen to the record again and again, as I had with Winter for example.

As to your other question:
Some personal favorites from previous recordings were Horsemen, March im September, I Need More Time, BDAW, Guessing, Angry Planet, Devil's Bargain, Guessing, Winter, Devil or Born Feral.

Apart from Guessing (old school NMA but great), these songs sounded fresh and new for a band "that old"
To me, much of FH sounds "too familiar".

This is my personal opinion and it's totally subjective 

Aw jeez, there's a certain someone here who doesn't understand that art is subjective...   

[lotus]

Welcome back Master Ray (if none captured your name here) 
Hope you post more here in future 

[Master Ray]

Welcome back Master Ray (if none captured your name here) 
Hope you post more here in future 

Cheers, friend, I've had a bit of a bad time recently but things are looking better...

To be honest, I'm genuinely moved that anyone noticed I'd been missing!