Human Love is the fifth studio album by British singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner. It was released on 20 November 2015 through BMG.[1]
| Human Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 November 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2015 | |||
| Genre | Folk rock, pop rock, indie rock | |||
| Length | 37:48 | |||
| Label | BMG | |||
| Newton Faulkner chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Human Love | ||||
| ||||
Promotion
editThe album was promoted by a cover of Major Lazer's song "Get Free", which was released as the lead single on 27 November 2015.[2] A music video for the song, in which Faulkner cuts off his trademark dreadlocks to mark a beginning of a new chapter in his career,[3] was released on 15 September 2015.[2][4]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Audio Addict | 9/10[5] |
| London Evening Standard |   [6] |
| Renowned for Sound | [7] |
| Música Nueva | [8] |
Writing for Renowned for Sound, Brandon Veevers awarded Human Love five out of five stars and commented that the album was "easily [Faulkner's] finest work since his debut album," Hand Built by Robots (2007). "Human Love showcases Faulkner as a gifted guitarist, a versatile performer and a truly sublime vocalist with an unrivaled songwriting talent. Moving effortlessly between somber ballads like the minimalist 'Break' and the eclectic and quirky 'Can I Be Enough' through to world-scented toe tappers like 'Up Up and Away' and 'Far to Fall', Faulkner has raised the bar yet again and delivered a truly exceptional collection."[7]
In a mixed review for the London Evening Standard, Andre Paine noted that "Faulkner emerged as a rootsy songwriter ... and that energy is intact on the clattering 'Up Up and Away', the blues-pop of 'Stay and Take' and the world music rhythms of 'Far to Fall'," however, the albums was "polished but occasionally forgettable."[6]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Newton Faulkner, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Get Free" | 3:33 | |
| 2. | "Up Up and Away" | 3:34 | |
| 3. | "Step in the Right Direction" | 3:09 | |
| 4. | "Passing Planes" | 3:26 | |
| 5. | "Stay and Take" (featuring Tessa Rose Jackson) | 3:11 | |
| 6. | "Break" | 4:03 | |
| 7. | "Far to Fall" |
| 3:07 |
| 8. | "Can I Be Enough" | 3:42 | |
| 9. | "Gone" | 2:28 | |
| 10. | "Shadow Boxing" | 3:55 | |
| 11. | "Human Love" | 3:40 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Get Free" (Acoustic) | 3:23 |
| 13. | "Human Love" (Acoustic) | 3:47 |
| 14. | "Gone" (Acoustic) | 2:53 |
| 15. | "Far to Fall" (Acoustic) | 3:19 |
| 16. | "Step in the Right Direction" (Acoustic) | 3:28 |
Personnel
edit- Newton Faulkner – lead vocals, guitar
- Tessa Rose Jackson – vocals (track 5)
- Technical personnel[3]
- Cenzo Townshend – mixing
- Cam Blackwood – production (track 3)
- Empire of the Sun – production (track 10)
Charts
edit| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[9] | 82 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[10] | 41 |
References
edit- ^ Baines, Huw (15 September 2015). "Newton Faulkner Confirms November Release For 'Human Love' And UK Tour". Stereoboard.com. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Newton Faulkner announces new album". The List. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
- ^ a b "Newton Faulkner November tour announced". music-news.com. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
- ^ "Newton Faulkner announces new album Human Love and full UK tour". HMV. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
- ^ "REVIEW: Newton Faulkner – Human Love". Audio Addict. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ a b Paine, Andre (20 November 2015). "Newton Faulkner - Human Love, album review: 'doesn't quite deliver'". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ a b Veevers, Brandon (11 November 2015). "Album Review: Newton Faulkner – Human Love". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ Elia, Alessandro (2015) "HUMAN LOVE by Newton Faulkner album review Archived 2015-11-26 at the Wayback Machine", Música Nueva, 21 November 2015.
- ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 48, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 November 2015.