Seems thenewno2 have learned to process complex psychological relationships: the relationship of the individual to the collective, of man to woman, of musician to the music industry…and they’ve come out on top. Not your average indie musicians, thenewno2 are fronted by Dhani Harrison in partnership with fellow designer and composer, drummer Oliver Hecks. Now in their third lineup, thenewno2’s first full record is ambitious and capable, albeit a bit hesitant to break out of the box, blending electronic topography with heartfelt songbird-style vocals and the lost art of penning original and memorable melodies.
No stranger to contradictions, Dhani Harrison vowed never to be a musician like his father George. Instead he earned an Ivy League degree and a prestigious job in racecar design. But in true F1 style, he did a 180 and began developing thenewno2 sound several years ago. And despite being the UK’s richest music millionaire under age 30 for much of his life (he is just turned 30 by the way), he took the Everyman DIY approach to marketing his new release: good old fashioned Myspace and word of mouth, creating an organically formed ready made scene for his album to drop into instead of becoming the product of a record company or image consultant. Not that he didn’t shop labels—he just didn’t like what he found. It’s easy to imagine that the record companies are already regretting not accommodating thenewno2.
In 2006 the band released a limited edition EP of four tracks. EP 0001 had flawless production, but production alone doesn’t give a song its own soul. Overproduction can even capture and kill the soul of music, as many understand. To be art that recreates feeling, musicality and emotion have to connect to and with each other, and some moments on the EP showed some gaps in thenewno2’s ability or willingness to convey that depth. For instance, the highly stylized female vocal on “Truly” seemed to erase the lyrical depth and flatline the emotions underneath so that any feeling connected was remote. Now with Harrison taking over all lead vocals, thenewno2 present a more sensuous, emotionally rich experience.
Thenewno2 are still students when it comes to songwriting. “Here” depends structurally on simple 1-4 variations in minor, which isn’t a bad thing in itself—everybody from Grover Washington to John Lennon made that theme swing, but the songs lack arcs and resolutions and are a bit reductionist at their weakest. Breaking into a gallop is good for the heart. If you take the entire record as one conceptual piece, then it works as the style meshes the individual tracks and their lyrics. If it continues in the future however it may be a sign of complacency at best, and at worst, fear. Thenewno2 still produce some sexy moments in this framework, but it is safe sex. We all know the real fireworks don’t start until the gloves are off and real possibility is met. Major keys can be interesting too, perhaps more of a challenge but these lads are up to it.
With a voice like Harrison’s, staying in the comfort zone too long would be a sin. Dhani is adept at using tonality and pitch to convey emotions within and between words. His voice is pure and clean, prone to taunting breathy but still masculine delivery but great at flying emphatic crescendos when called for. He ranges from earthy baritone to shivery falsetto that Eddie Kendricks would respect. He also has another natural talent obviously inherited or learned from George, the skill at crafting and singing sweet plaintive harmonies, which add texture and feeling to his music. Still, his talent deserves a full exploration of a diversity of styles to mature and expand.
Harrison is known to collaborate with a variety of artists, and a greater knowledge of new and different genres is what is called for, for thenewno2 to reach their full potential and release them from this formulaic presentation. The largest problem is being locked into meter. There is no freedom of rhythm yet and most of these tunes sound like they were written to a drum machine. Some of the tunes are virtually immobile when Keith Moon-like fills and ripples would enrich them. Study of world rhythms and Harrison’s own Latin heritage would bring a fuller heat into thenewno2’s music and compliment the variety of sounds that they enjoy bringing to their projects.
“You Are Here” opens with an ambient track, “So Vain,” based on their simple descending lines and lyrics that largely echo its title. “You Are Here’s” songs reflect a recurrent theme of self awareness, personal power or lack of it, and vulnerability—although it is sometimes unclear whether thenewno2 are suffering like the rest of us or judging from on high. “Another John Doe” is a waltz whose video is a popular Myspace choice. This is a calculation of the blurring anonymity of the regular person, devised around a catchy hook and nice moments on lead guitar. This tune would shine as an instrumental if Harrison was willing to carry the lead throughout on his slide. He plays with a pensive sweetness and clarity that is too briefly featured here.
Thenewno2 are feeling the pain of rejection in “Back to You,” full of the woes of unrequited love. Despite its laboring and ponderous instrumentation, this tune has the chord structure to easily go up-tempo with a cup of sugar and be right at home as a girl group Motown song. It is one of the best written songs but its arrangement is an anchor on its soul. “Give You Love” then ingratiates the listener by breaking out real instruments with a likeable Britpoppy feel grafted onto choppy geometric rhythms, cooing vocals, and cool keyboards in a great mix of sheer fun. This tune is like friendly Blur, and should be great live with its James Brown “Popcorn” drums and retro synths. Dhani’s guitar sounds like a kazoo and his ending electro-scat “na na na na” sound is already being sampled on the street (“Dhamples”).
“Bluesy” suffers from the choice to use classic analog drum but still manages to convey a man who cannot refine himself out of a predicament, as teardrops from his guitar pierce the song. This track returns the band to the paradoxes of deep feelings. Is it sincere or a lampoon by somebody who is onto the game? A listener might quickly project a personal interpretation of these songs based on public information about Dhani’s life, but all songs are credited to Harrison and Hecks—and so far they haven’t talked too much. Legitimate sources have only so far credited the lyrics of “Another John Doe” to Hecks, who as the quiet one, is ironically currently the George Harrison of thenewno2.
“Yomp” is the grittiest offering so far, no coincidence since it is featured in “Rockband.” “Cherokee People” meets Adam Ant and Marilyn Manson in this punchy staccato Wall of Sound piece. Dhani’s guitar solo is dirty enough to inspire gamers and clean enough to inspire envy in more seasoned musicians. This tune is also eagerly anticipated for live performance where hopefully its polish will come off in exchange for a down and dirty jam.
“Hiding Out” is less spectacular as a song but outstanding as a vocal performance by Harrison. He slips in and out of impressive falsetto as he duets with himself and electronic backup. An absent lover bothers “Crazy Tuesday,” which is peppered with charming ukulele (attention Dhani Harrison: can you say “Electro-uke?” maybe on the next record?), as jangly guitar and dreamy keyboards rain. On this tune the bass stays in the root notes but more melody in the low end would work nicely.
“Idle Lover” first soothes, then stirs up ardent insistent pleading for more love, sung smoothly but urgently and delivered with an intense and soulful guitar solo, with “Northern Song” keyboards. Harrison’s voice is recorded particularly well here: little bits of spit come through into the listener’s ear, and his guitar is very rooftop George in sound. The bass line is reminiscent of Duran Duran.
“Shelter” is a seductive bliss of lovely liquid harmonies and funk that gets in your skin. It is an impressionistic piece with bits of true creativity on the level of Harry Nillson or John Lennon. The end is an interesting chant over the arrival of succubi, which seems to be a good thing, bearing in mind magic is a lonely way. “You Are Here” ends with the tasty “Wind up
Dead,” syncopated and suggestive of the realization that maybe sometimes things aren’t what they seem, and if they are, why not behave yourself?
***
Dhani Harrison is a determined man. It’s not easy to build your own reputation today as a presence in the music world. Add the goal of separating from George’s shadow and musical legacy, and the lag time between this release and the band’s 2006 EP is understandable. But “You Are Here,” released the week of Harrison’s 30th birthday, establishes him as a force to be reckoned with and opens a new phase of his life, despite the tentative feel of the writing. This record is dedicated to a list of influences including father George and Neil Aspinall, all credited as “great teachers.” Having learned from such strong positive forces, it is no surprise Dhani Harrison shines now on his own as a talented singer-songwriter who makes wise decisions about his career. His independence and sage reasoning have served thenewno2 well, and as his confidence builds, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dhani Harrison winds up running things in the music industry. Certainly listeners would be better for it.
~ Jena Fuller
1st August, 2008
You Are Here by thenewno2:
The long-awaited album by thenewno2 was just released, and it was well worth the wait. The album is extremely diverse, yet it all gels to make one incredibly strong album. With Dhani Harrison on lead guitar and vocals and Oli Hecks on drums, as well as appearances by Nick Fyffe, Josh Lopez, Paul Hicks, Marc Mann, and Tom Hammond, the musicianship is fantastic. There is so much to take in that the first few listens are almost overwhelming. Each song has so many layers of sound and meaning that it can sustain repeated listening without getting boring.
So Vain - This song has a really interesting, ambient kind of groove to it that had me hooked from the first moment. The beginning guitar sounds seem to be reminiscent of the song ‘Lord Lord’ from thenewno2’s Promotional EP 001, but then it soon becomes something totally different. It has a vibe-y atmospheric sound that is developing into a signature sound of thenewno2, and at the same time it is rocking and almost psychedelic in places. The electronic sounds in the background play off the lyrics in a cool way. The music seems to almost illustrate what the lyrics are saying. The song draws the listener into the tone of the album, and into another world for the next 50 minutes.
Another John Doe - This was the first single, and it is probably the most recognized album track among fans of thenewno2. Taking a well-known phrase like ‘Another John Doe’ and turning it into a song could be a difficult thing to do, but thenewno2 have done it wonderfully, having no trouble avoiding cliches that may be tempting to use in conjunction with the title. Instead, the lyrics are written beautifully. It’s hypnotic tone draws the listener in right away. The music is mesmerizing, with a highlight at Dhani’s slide guitar solo in the middle of the song. The song conjures up images of an old black and white movie with crowds of people blindly walking down busy streets going about their business. Another John Doe seems to represent a struggle between wishing to remain anonymous and breaking out into the public eye. The solo starts with one note, and then there is a pause before it continues, sounding like a slight hesitation before fully sliding into it. Perhaps is could represent a hesitation to break out of the comfort of remaining anonymous? There are so many dimensions to this song that it can be listened to repeatedly and something new will pop out every time.
Back to You - This song begins with sound clips of news footage that then gets twisted and muffled into a pulsating drum beat. The lyrics are extremely thought provoking, with multiple themes and layers of meaning. Lyrically the song takes the listener by surprise a few times - going to unexpected places that really work well. The imagery of “oceans of misinformation” to comment on the vast amount of information the world is bombarded with constantly is really stunning. For me, this is a true highlight of the album.
Give You Love - I liked this song from the first moment I heard it; as of now it is my favorite on the album. It is definitely one of the catchiest songs on the album. The synths in the intro and through the whole song complement the Dhani’s vocal performance perfectly. The drum beat, especially after the first verse really picks up into a quick groove, which is why it comes as no surprise that Oli mentioned in a recent interview that this is one of his favorite songs to play live. There are some really interesting things that happen in the middle of this song that give it such a unique feel. There are some cool vocal effects at the end that caught me by surprise but completely fit. This is definitely a song that can be listened to over and over again.
Bluesy - Bluesy starts out with some very cool like harmonies that sound almost like chanting over a vacant landscape. It then picks up with a cool electronic sounding drum beat, while the harmonies continue after each phrase. The song feels like it can put you into a trance. I could see it working very well in a film as a girl walks down the street toward and than away from a love interest. This is another song where Dhani’s voice really shines. The title is very fitting to the feel of the song.
Yomp - This is the first of the new songs that fans were able to hear; it has been made available for listening on the band’s myspace and it will also be available to download on Rock Band for XBox 360 and PS3. The song a real rocker, and it is a perfect choice for the Rock Band game. Oli’s crashing drums and Dhani’s killer lead guitar are real highlights, as well as Dhani’s strong vocals. The beginning of the song seems to be directed at all the naysayers out there. Record company execs are most likely specific suspects in this case, but it could certainly apply to a variety of people. The last verse (or maybe verses, depending on which way you read into it) seems to be directed more towards anyone who wants to go their own way in life. It gives the listener a feeling of freedom - it’s okay to go your own way, you don’t have to listen to what others say. The song lyrics are probably personal in many ways, but it can apply to anyone’s life in one way or another, which is why it definitely has the potential to touch a lot of people. Dhani’s voice is forceful on this one, and at the same time he shows his wide range as a vocalist. The guitar solo at the end of the song is fantastic, and really spotlights Dhani’s talent as a guitarist. The song is totally in line with the spirit of thenewno2 as a band - they are doing it all their own way, and they are at the forefront of this new path for bands to follow and become successful. Yomp is truly inspirational and uplifting while also being extremely energetic and fun to listen to.
Hiding Out - The into to this sounded almost like a 60’s ballad, because of the drum beat. Dhani’s falsetto vocals really caught me by surprise the first time I heard it, in a really good way. He sounds very sweet and innocent. Starting in the second verse, the backing vocals and harmonies make it even more beautiful to hear. The song seems to pick up on the theme of ‘Another John Doe’ with the struggle between anonymity and being “done hiding out,” But it also feels as if there is another layer to it also. The ending of the song with a few bass notes sounds cool and original.
Crazy Tuesday - Ukulele starts off this track, which will give a tug on anyone’s heart if he or she is a fan of Dhani’s father George. The song touches on the difficulty of long distance relationships. It sounds like he’s talking to himself; you can picture him singing in his room looking out the window thinking about a girl. The echo-y guitar and the backing vocals are very catchy and it’s a lot of fun to sing along. The title of the song relates a lyric in the last verse, which is intriguing. It’s also interesting to note that all of thenewno2’s planned shows (at the moment) are on Tuesday nights.
Idle Lover - I truly was blown away by this track, and the more I listen to it the more I love it. This is another that I can really see working extremely well at the end of a movie or at a point when a character chooses to make a big change. The song takes on indecisiveness and idleness. Dhani’s voice works so well here because, sung in another way it could sound angry or accusing, but here it still has a sweetness to it. Dhani’s vocal range is also highlighted here with some very low, sultry notes. The guitar solo is gorgeous as well. Something about the feel of this song is very touching and emotional.
Shelter - A folksy guitar sound begins this track, which turns into a dreamy, peaceful-sounding tune. The song itself feels like an auditory shelter from the rest of the world. The lyrics brings about vivid imagery dealing with nature - the moon, the trees, strong storms, rising seas, hurricanes, etc. The ukulele touch at the end of the song is perfect, as it fades into the next song with an almost classical sound.
Wind Up Dead - The string sounds from Shelter fade into a beatbox/rap feeling. The keyboards in the background later come into the foreground and turns the song around into a more upbeat jazzy song. Bryony Atkinson’s sings backing vocals, and the contrast between her voice and Dhani’s give the song a great new dimension. There were a lot of ‘cheeky’ phrases in this song that gave me quite a few smiles, and a smile is always a good way to end an album.
Overall, this is a fantastic debut album from thenewno2. It leaves the listener with plenty of thoughts as well as plenty of great tunes in your head. Each song shines in it’s own unique way and the album leaves the listener wanting more. It is an impressive first release and it’s so exciting to think about what else may be in store from thenewno2 in the future!
~ Lauren Podolsky
3rd August 2008
1 of 4 reviews
2 of 4 reviews
3 of 4 reviews
Simply Stupendous
You Are Here - thenewno2
Rarely does an album come along that will just completely and utterly blow your mind; thenewno2's You Are Here is definitely a rarity in this modern world. While the majority of modern music corporations, bands, and musical artists are too caught up in making money and selling music via overly blatant sexual imagery, thenewno2 have chosen an alternative route. Maintaining their own website (www.thenewno2.com), MySpace (www.myspace.com/thenewno2), and numerous other community-oriented websites, thenewno2 are definitely steering their musical career in a way that gives them complete creative freedom and the ability to stay in touch with their fans on a more down to earth or realistic level.
You Are Here consists of eleven musically inspiring and lyrically meaningful tracks sure to get you rockin' and absorbed in the music in a matter of mere minutes. The tracklist:
01. So Vain
02. Another John Doe
03. Back to You
04. Give You Love
05. Bluesy
06. Yomp
07. Hiding Out
08. Crazy Tuesday
09. Idle Lover
10. Shelter
11. Wind Up Dead
These songs will definitely grow on you; the more you listen, the more addicted you'll become. The tracks you immediately enjoy will quickly become your favorite tracks and the songs you might be ambivalent towards in the beginning, will eventually be added to your favorite tracks (and if you're like me, they'll have a tendency to remain at the top of your "recently played" playlist on your iPod).
Emily's Personal Favorites: Over a matter of only a few days, I've grown to thoroughly enjoy 10 out of the 11 tracks available on this album. However, my favorites from this album (and in this order) are "Give You Love", "Bluesy", "Crazy Tuesday" and "Wind Up Dead". I enjoy "Give You Love" for its upbeat nature and vocals, "Bluesy" for its theatrical feel, "Crazy Tuesday" for the ukelele, and "Wind Up Dead" for the overall vibe. The only song I have yet to get a real feel for is "Back To You"; however, I am sure it will only be a short time before this song makes it to the top of my recently played playlist on my iPod.
Emily's Overall Rating: 5 out of 5. Everything's amazing: the instruments are amazing, the vocals are amazing, the mixing is astonishing (and a major improvement over their previously released EP001), the lyrics are extremely poignant, and the list just goes on. I can't say enough about this album; you really just need to have a listen to it yourself. Purchase it from iTunes for only $9.99 (oh, and make sure to check out the digital booklet).
~ Emily Deakins
4 August 2008
You Are Here – thenewno2
To say that this album has been eagerly awaited and anticipated by the fan base of thenewno2 comprised of Dhani Harrison and Oli Hecks would be a massive understatement. First mention of an album came over two years ago and there has been much speculation ever since on numerous websites and fan forums. Now having been able to spend several hours listening, I can confidently say that for this reviewer the band has lived up to those expectations and on several levels have even exceeded them.
First and foremost I am not a musician I know what I like, but I can’t pick out individual instruments particularly well so I will concentrate on what I do know, and that is how music moves me and makes me think and ‘You Are Here’ does that in abundance.
Listed as an alternative album thenewno2 have produced an album that covers diverse range of musical styles, incorporating electro and sound effects on ‘So Vain’ and ‘Back To You’, a blues jazz feel on the aptly titled ‘Bluesy’ the downright stomping rock beat of ‘Yomp’, a slightly cheeky Ukulele on ‘Crazy Tuesday’ and beautiful and plaintive melody on ‘Shelter’
The subject matter of the songs is as varied as the musical styles, ranging from the complexity of human relationships to poignant social comment.
Opening with ‘So Vain’ one is eased into the album with a gently riff underpinning this song. The vocal has a gentle and warm feel to it Dhani’s voice sounding full and strong. The music builds in its power and reflects the lyric especially when it appears to be mimicking the sound of ‘waves crashing over the reef’. Ending with a crescendo of sound underpinned with a driving drum beat from Oli before fading away into electronic sound that seems to blend seamlessly into the intro of ‘Another John Doe’. This was the first song released as a single on itunes UK on April 1st this year. The melody has a dream like quality reminiscent of the New Age Music, this is emphasised by the slide guitar solo.
‘Back to You’ opens with sound samples of a newscast and the intro then sounds like someone is channel hopping to find a station. This track is heavier than the first two with numerous layers of sound and a pronounced drumbeat. This is one of those thought provoking songs and appears to be a comment of the powers of the press and media in our modern society with the lyric ‘oceans of misinformation’ and ‘compromising moral attitudes’. Again there is a seamless link, this time into ‘Give You Love’ a track that in a recent interview Oli Hecks named as his favourite to play live. This is understandable it has a complex and interesting drum beat. Whilst the title leads the listener to think it is a Love song it seems to be more about the complexities of human relationships. The backing vocal is interesting in that it appears to be a voice passed through an electronic distortion device, intertwined and alternating with undistorted backing vocal.
‘Bluesy’ as mentioned above has a blues/jazz feel to it and I can imagine myself in a late night bar somewhere listening to this as the customers drift off home and the waiters start to stack the chairs on the tables. The vocal from Dhani is deeper on this track with the occasional word almost spoken as if to add emphasis to the lyric. The melody seems to soothe and calm and it is definitely one for the headphones to chill out to. Having been lulled to a calm state by ‘Bluesy’ Oli cranks up the tempo with the opening drum beat of ‘Yomp’ this track understandably was released for download to Rockband on the Playstation and Xbox. Most definitely the rocker of the album the guitar and vocal are extremely powerful and Oli keeps the driving drum beat going throughout. In contrast the following track ‘Hiding Out’ comes as quite a surprise with Dhani delivering a vocal that is almost falsetto and has a lovely clear quality to it. The mood changes again with Dhani strumming a ukulele for ‘Crazy Tuesday’. The effect of ukulele, synthesisers, guitars and drums is one of fullness giving richness to the melody. ‘Idle Lover’ sees Dhani’s vocals at the other end of the spectrum from ‘Hiding Out’ deep and full of warmth and depth, this track has a swirling feel to it and for me is reminiscent of some of the more Psychedelic offerings from British bands in the late 1960’s but it doesn’t sound dated just different from the preceding tracks which is what is so noticeable on this album the sheer diversity.
‘Shelter’ for me is the standout track of the album. It has a soaring melody, and poignant lyrics. It seems to alternate moods through the song from reflective, through hopeful, despairing and a certain amount of defiance. This is reflected in the changes of tempo through the song. Of all the tracks on the album this is the one that has the most thought provoking lyrics Dhani singing to someone about loneliness and reflecting on the slow destruction of the planet. It also has a spiritual feel to it with the certainty of hopefulness ‘I’m sure when the time comes we’ll be together’. Could it be he is singing to his dad? I guess that is something only he can answer.
The album closes with a stark warning about excess ‘Wind Up Dead’ This track opens with an intro that sounds like it has been beat boxed, yet another demonstration of the diversity of thenewno2. On vocals Dhani is joined by Bryony Atkinson and their voices compliment each other well. Once again Oli’s drumming is much in evidence on this track providing a steady beat and blending well with the bass of Nick Fyffe and Dhani’s guitar work.
So that’s it eleven very different tracks, overall the production excellent it doesn’t sound like a debut album it is policed and definitely one to keep my interest. I certainly hope this is the first of many. I love the album and if I had any criticism at this stage it is just that it is only available for download. I hope at some point in the future thenewno2 find themselves in a position to release a physical CD of the album to reach an even wider audience.
Finally I will add of course there is no getting away from the fact that Dhani Harrison is the son of George. I for one am proud to call myself a George Harrison fan and yes initially my interest in Dhani’s music came from a love of his father’s music. However I can honestly say that whilst in places Dhani’s vocal sound like those of his father, the music is Dhani and Oli’s own. It is new, refreshing exciting and original. Thenewno2 haven’t tried to ‘cash in’ on George by trying to sound deliberately like him or copy his style. If anyone buys this album expecting to hear a copy of George then yes frankly they will be disappointed but approach it with an open mind and I think it will make people sit up and take notice of the talented band that is thenewno2 for their own sake and not for who one of the members happens to be related to. I can highly recommend it go and buy it now from itunes if you haven’t already.
