NEW REVIEW: "Starting out from rock bottom, The New Slave’s self-titled album builds from an emotional chasm to the peak of psychedelic awareness. This meshes with their self-described style, “Psychedelic / Ambient / Progressive”. The first track, “99 Steps”, starts this journey with a desperate man (or woman?) wading out to sea for presumably their last mortal walk.

If one word would describe the music of TNS, it would be “texture”. They successfully meld guitar, old-school acoustic instrumentation, 21st century electronic and early 20th century electric organ. “The Blackness of My Heart” documents the journey of our protagonist into the sea. Craig M. Clarke’s voice sets the opening, mellow mood for this (IMO best) song of the album. Backed by Daniel Crowell, TNS leads you to a rock-like explosion as our protagonist slips into death’s embrace. Into the blackness… This song includes solid, representative examples of Clarke’s guitar prowess. Having long forgotten the mellow intro, an ethereal guitar solo seduces you into Dan Crowell’s seminal performance on [analog synth] backed up by Troy James’ spinning of electronic synthesis (more on Troy later). We end up with a reprisal of the big guitar sound, but now in a psychedelic finale that “sends shivers up [your] spine” (to borrow a phrase). Did I mention that this song is 8 ½ minutes long? It leaves you wishing it was longer.

The third track is the big reveal. The self-titled song on the self-titled album reveals itself and reveals their dark purpose. It cuts to a scene of a mermaid exploring the shore. She, as the fates have intended, crosses paths with our hero, “Her ‘New Slave’”. This encounter segues into the most addicting beat/bass-line on this album. “Glass Bottom” has an incredible introduction that leaves you pleading for more of the dark creations of Troy James. Craig’s vocals are dead on and complimentary to the mood of the album thus far. The phrase “did you think I didn’t see you seeing me” reveal a sometimes unusual lyric twist. “My heart is like an open bottle of wine.” How so? One can only guess to probe the meaning.... Read More

The album continues the theme of darkness in “Kiss the Earth Goodbye” and hits its stride with the lyric, “don’t let the fact that you can’t breathe stop you from being free”. With the protection of his mermaid companion, our hero blasts off of the earth into outer space (at least that’s what I visualize when listening). Born again with synth-pop moments and alongside spacey guitar riffs we transition to a resurrection of sorts. Some of the lyrics seem bit awkward (some might consider it character), but this doesn’t detract from a solid contribution to the album.

“Waiting” signals a natural middle to the album by a shift to Dan’s honest and middle-toned voice. This is straight up dance music as a pounding electronic beat greets us. In songs like this, the mixing and textured productions really shine. This band has depth.“Year of the Rat” is a departure from the theme/conceptual tone that we have enjoyed so far. Some of the Californian Spanish/Mexican leaks through in this one (this is a California band BTW). Did I hear sitar in there too??? Weird.

Of the final three songs, “…and She’s On Me (I’m Alive!)” puts us back on course. It also brings us back to the current evolution of this album up to a higher and a more positive plane, a time when our hero has only a memory of his “ocean below the sea”. He now feels GOOD. And, so do we. This very effective track takes us up, liberates us… One can’t but help feel we have escaped to outer space alongside an alien spaceship. Thanks for that Troy. The hero is still tainted by his memory of the past, but the new is good. “It’s OK to be happy and she’s on me”. Who wouldn’t be happy with a mermaid “on” them? “Bright City Lights” is the primer. “Love is hope and hope is you”. While emotionally on par with the rest of the album we don’t experience as much of the electronic. [Rhodes] is the instrument here. The chord progressions echo “Year of the Rat” a bit (but not in a bad way). Wax-papered vocal outtakes provide a nice background and morph into almost religious cries of “save me…”

“Castles of a Wasted Day” returns us to the center of this album, the reason why we love it. “We just made love, like stars at night”. So, he screwed the mermaid and now he’s inspired and “all right”. It sounds good to me. Still, although the “castles of a wasted day” (or life?) are haunting him, he is now grounded. He is now lifted, elevated in actual fact. A marching drum beat performed by [Jace Lasek] sets a solemn and yet uplifting tone to this piece.

Although faltering a bit in strange directions during “Rat”, this album is a winner. I fell in love with it from the start. From “Blackness” to “Glass Bottom” to “Castles”, it is distinctly memorable. Having heard the band live on a number of occasions, I can say that they are worth a listen in person or vicariously via digitized audio. Pick up a copy of “The New Slave” at your favorite electronic retailer today!

- Patrick Cox