Maxi Curnow — Transition (December 6th, 2015) 
•≡≡• Slova ‘génius, talent’ a pod. jsou dnes hojně nadužívána, však víte své. Transition je album, které lze přehrávat vcelku od začátku do konce, bez jediného time–outu. Každá věta od této chvíle může vyznít kýčovitě. Chce se mi splasknout s rozpaky, i když vím, že cokoli čteného nemůže být náhražkou za poslouchané. Hlavním lákadlem je mistrovské singer–songwriterství (songcraft), přesný a příjemný hlas, skvělý poměr el + ac nástrojů, proporční vkus a jednu věc bych vyzdvihl obzvlášť: začátky skladeb. Žádná nezačíná stejně, jednou začnou bicí (Viaduct), jindy Rhodes Piano (This Mist, Shape of You), Grand Piano (Transition), kytara a housle (If We Make It), jindy pouze činely, ale začít píseň šustěním papíru (Perugia), to by mne snad ani nenapadlo. S tímto albem má Maxi Curnow všechno, co potřebuje, aby došel tak daleko, jak se mu zatraceně zlíbí. Má perspektivu a jestli tento tlak zvládne, je už na něm samotném. // A half–effaced inscription, Written with little skill of songcraft. — Longfellow.
Location: Guilford ~ London, UK
Album release: December 6th, 2015
Record Label: Maxi Curnow Music
Genre: Abstract/Progressive/Alternative/Rock/Pop/Filmic/Alternative
Duration: 49:56
Tracks:
01. If We Make It 3:28
02. Shape of You 4:48
03. If Only 3:38
04. The Author 4:39
05. Viaduct 3:21
06. Transition 3:22
07. This Mist 3:59
08. Perugia 4:28
09. Sink or Swim 4:39
10. If I Ever 3:52
11. Hand in Hand 4:29
12. If We Make It (Full Version) 5:06
℗ 2015 Maxi Curnow Music
Credits:
♦ Maxi Curnow — Vocals, Guitar, Soundscapes
♦ Sam Rowe — Strings
♦ Doug Harper — Drums
♦ Beau McCarthy — Layers
♦ Chris Gregson — Bass
♦ Philip van den Brandeler
♦ Mix/Production: Maxi Curnow/Acle Kahney
♦ Master: Luke Martin
Review [Leone]
•≡≡• Last year, Maxi Curnow dropped STEM — TMMP’s #2 EP of the year — and it earned that lofty ranking for good reason. This guy is a one–of–a–kind talent — a genius, as overused as that term is today — and when it comes to instrumental skill, compositional nous, and punch–to–the–gut songcraft, Maxi Curnow possesses a perspective all his own. STEM was a unique display of musical Jedi skills, a twenty–minute epic crammed with twists, turns, and tangents — and it fucking blew my mind.
•≡≡• Transition is a different proposition. With this album, Maxi Curnow has everything he needs to go as far as he damn well pleases.
•≡≡• On Transition, the influence of virtuosi as diverse as Tesseract and Guthrie Govan merge with nods in the direction of electronic experimentalist extraordinaire Björk and a lack of trepidation in embracing pure, substance–infused pop songcraft. Trip–hoppy moments also abound as ambient and jazzy textures glide over bottomless grooves. In short, Transition is so sick that if it were human, it would be on life support.
•≡≡• Highlights are hard to pick — but the sublime, horn–laden Shape Of You is definitely up there, alongside unorthodox and spellbinding love song The Author and classic Curnow tune If Only, the latter equal parts pop and djent. Really, though, Transition is an album that can be played through as an album, from start to finish, without a single duff moment. In the era of the cherry–picked playlist, albums like this — an album that works as a stand–alone playlist in its own right, as albums fucking should — are incredibly rare, and all the more valuable for it.
•≡≡• At the end of my review of STEM, I thanked Maxi Curnow for existing. Although that was cheesy as fuck, and it makes me want to implode with embarrassment when I think back to it, I’m still going to do it again here, because this guy needs and deserves all the support in the world. Maxi — cheers, man. Again: Don’t stop, and keep going. •≡≡• http://www.themusicalmeltingpot.com/
Lyrics
Transition
♦ This song acknowledges the all encompassing difficulties and hardships of life but then overcomes them by establishing a new way of thinking. It’s about how perspective can save you from yourself, and even in your worst moments to remember the formula of “For every dip there is a peak”. Imagining life like a sine wave.
♦
People aren’t born broken;
They get broken in.
I’ve never been so bruised.
I’ve never been so used.
Aged by this year…
Compromising without even knowing.
Contracted, and I am left so dazed.
With no perspective, it’s felt like I would never,
Escape the confusion.
So I’ll write the equation on the back of my hand so I will not forget:
For every dip there is a peak.
For every dip there is a peak.
So I will write because the page steals nothing from me.
Transition will come.
A wave never flattens while there is still music in your body.
It’s a waking moment; It felt like I would never be found by the rapture.
So I’ll write the equation on the back of my hand so I will not forget:
For every dip there is a peak.
For every dip there is a peak.
So I will write because the page steals nothing from me.
Transition will come.
And a wave never flattens while there is still music in your body.
Transition has come.
Bandcamp: http://maxicurnow.bandcamp.com/track/transition
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxicurnow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maxicurnow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/curnowmusic
Website: http://www.maxicurnow.com/#!
•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•
Album release: December 6th, 2015
Record Label: Maxi Curnow Music
Genre: Abstract/Progressive/Alternative/Rock/Pop/Filmic/Alternative
Duration: 49:56
Tracks:
01. If We Make It 3:28
02. Shape of You 4:48
03. If Only 3:38
04. The Author 4:39
05. Viaduct 3:21
06. Transition 3:22
07. This Mist 3:59
08. Perugia 4:28
09. Sink or Swim 4:39
10. If I Ever 3:52
11. Hand in Hand 4:29
12. If We Make It (Full Version) 5:06
℗ 2015 Maxi Curnow Music
Credits:
♦ Maxi Curnow — Vocals, Guitar, Soundscapes
♦ Sam Rowe — Strings
♦ Doug Harper — Drums
♦ Beau McCarthy — Layers
♦ Chris Gregson — Bass
♦ Philip van den Brandeler
♦ Mix/Production: Maxi Curnow/Acle Kahney
♦ Master: Luke Martin
•≡≡• Last year, Maxi Curnow dropped STEM — TMMP’s #2 EP of the year — and it earned that lofty ranking for good reason. This guy is a one–of–a–kind talent — a genius, as overused as that term is today — and when it comes to instrumental skill, compositional nous, and punch–to–the–gut songcraft, Maxi Curnow possesses a perspective all his own. STEM was a unique display of musical Jedi skills, a twenty–minute epic crammed with twists, turns, and tangents — and it fucking blew my mind.
•≡≡• Transition is a different proposition. With this album, Maxi Curnow has everything he needs to go as far as he damn well pleases.
•≡≡• On Transition, the influence of virtuosi as diverse as Tesseract and Guthrie Govan merge with nods in the direction of electronic experimentalist extraordinaire Björk and a lack of trepidation in embracing pure, substance–infused pop songcraft. Trip–hoppy moments also abound as ambient and jazzy textures glide over bottomless grooves. In short, Transition is so sick that if it were human, it would be on life support.
•≡≡• Highlights are hard to pick — but the sublime, horn–laden Shape Of You is definitely up there, alongside unorthodox and spellbinding love song The Author and classic Curnow tune If Only, the latter equal parts pop and djent. Really, though, Transition is an album that can be played through as an album, from start to finish, without a single duff moment. In the era of the cherry–picked playlist, albums like this — an album that works as a stand–alone playlist in its own right, as albums fucking should — are incredibly rare, and all the more valuable for it.
•≡≡• At the end of my review of STEM, I thanked Maxi Curnow for existing. Although that was cheesy as fuck, and it makes me want to implode with embarrassment when I think back to it, I’m still going to do it again here, because this guy needs and deserves all the support in the world. Maxi — cheers, man. Again: Don’t stop, and keep going. •≡≡• http://www.themusicalmeltingpot.com/
Lyrics
Transition
♦ This song acknowledges the all encompassing difficulties and hardships of life but then overcomes them by establishing a new way of thinking. It’s about how perspective can save you from yourself, and even in your worst moments to remember the formula of “For every dip there is a peak”. Imagining life like a sine wave.
♦
People aren’t born broken;
They get broken in.
I’ve never been so bruised.
I’ve never been so used.
Aged by this year…
Compromising without even knowing.
Contracted, and I am left so dazed.
With no perspective, it’s felt like I would never,
Escape the confusion.
So I’ll write the equation on the back of my hand so I will not forget:
For every dip there is a peak.
For every dip there is a peak.
So I will write because the page steals nothing from me.
Transition will come.
A wave never flattens while there is still music in your body.
It’s a waking moment; It felt like I would never be found by the rapture.
So I’ll write the equation on the back of my hand so I will not forget:
For every dip there is a peak.
For every dip there is a peak.
So I will write because the page steals nothing from me.
Transition will come.
And a wave never flattens while there is still music in your body.
Transition has come.
Bandcamp: http://maxicurnow.bandcamp.com/track/transition
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maxicurnow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maxicurnow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/curnowmusic
Website: http://www.maxicurnow.com/#!
•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•≡≡•♦•