Newton Faulkner - Rebuilt by Humans
From a Green Day cover band to a musician known for his guitar playing style - there is no better way of gaining experience than looking up to some of the world’s finest musicians and he certainly has his guitar playing down to an art.
Newton Faulkner is a man known for his guitar technique, which involves rhythmically tapping and hitting the guitar's body or fingerpicking, and his sophomore album ‘Rebuilt by Humans’ is a fine demonstration of what he can achieve. You may imagine this to be an album of consistently acoustic set tunes, but it isn’t. Surprisingly ‘Badman’, the first full track for this release, is a fairly upbeat song with a catchy chorus line and rhythmic guitars - completely unexpected! This was the perfect way to introduce himself to new listeners as well as returning fans who want to hear something new; it is not just one man and his guitar.
But as you would expect the main focus on the album is a slower timid pace with a focal point on guitar. This means there are many slow moving tunes, each one is melodic and alters in rhythm to sound different but is unable to really reach out and grasp your attention. For many, the thought of a slowing moving semi-acoustic styled album makes yawning ever more recurring and there will be a couple of tracks that will make you want to drift off. But the few songs that are livelier are worth staying awake for. There are some attempts at combing the acoustic nature to a more upbeat tone and this works to a degree.
This is a British singer-songwriter doing what he does best and that is writing and singing as well as playing; his vocals support the music very well. Faulkner has supported the likes of James Morrison, Paolo Nutini and John Mayer and is another guitarist to be remembered for his gifted playing and this album will change your entire prospective on this young musician.