Perhaps we were not fully aware, but it turns out that we missed a lot Neuman. It’s been six long years since I saw the light ‘Crashpad’ (Subterfuge, 17), which up to now was the last full-length of the band led by Paco Román. And, now that the combo returns with a splendid new work under its arm, it becomes latent how necessary they are within the national scene. The Murcians deliver eight new compositions worked (once again) with care and that point to timelessness, diametrically removed from that immediacy of the here and now latent in a good part of the business.
Although it is something common in the catalog of Neuman, ‘Waterhole’ It includes especially long songs (none goes below four minutes and there are songs of seven and eight minutes), in full creative expansion that favors the epic finish of some selected ones, giving them time to grow and argue with grandeur. A representative work of the motivation that has always guided his music, started with that “Recovered Files” capable of instantly recalling the specificities and virtues of the band in question, through a piece that bets on a restless melody and definitely broken based on sharp guitars and distortions. For his part, “The City Of Love” is an instant classic within the Murcian repertoire with its catchy structure reminiscent of The Beatles and Oasis, while the irresistible single “George” stands out with somewhat different textures. They also count as hits. “Three Of Us” –delicate cut started with piano and that derives in forceful sound amalgamation–, the heartfelt “Baby The Sunrise”the almost religious solemnity of “Untitled”o “Waterhole” giving title to the reference and acting as a beautiful closure.
‘Waterhole’ is a record endowed with the purest essence of Neuman: detailed, warm and shows off a brutal emotional capacity as its main manifestation and, at the same time, it is also the original and indispensable condition of the project. A kind of creative and sound qualities (with Paco Román working as a singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer) that makes any song signed by Neuman It is recognizable almost instantly, motivated by that strong artistic identity that shines brightly again here. Definitely, the unforgivable thing would be not to have missed them.