Customer Reviews

Schoolyard Ghosts

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Though I have been a fan of No-Man for several years now, it wasn't until recently that I began to appreciate their music in a big way. So just as soon as I read of the impending release of Schoolyard Ghosts, I ordered directly from Burning Shed and received it about a month in advance of today's official release date. And since I've had it that long, I have had ample time to fully enjoy the delicate and exquisite soundscapes here woven by Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness.
Schoolyard Ghosts is really a tremendous piece of work. I like the whole set, but there are a few cuts to which I am partial. My favorites on the CD are: the shimmering Beautiful Songs You Should Know; the spacy Pigeon Drummer which is punctuated by furious bursts of percussion that culminate in a masterful ending; True North, an epic musical journey in which the listener figuratively floats above the music; the relaxing Song of the Surf; and Mixtaped, a mixture of soft jazz with an undercurrent of searing blues.
With the DVDA, you may find that you have to change your audio settings in order for it to play. I did. But despite that, the sound quality remained quite superb. On the DVDA, spectral and fog shrouded images accompany the songs. This reminds me of the static images which accompany the DVDA on Porcupine Tree's remastered Lightbulb Sun and on the special edition of PT's In Absentia. There are also some extra bonus videos which feature three of the songs from Schoolyard Ghosts in both stereo and surround sound.
If you've enjoyed other works from No-Man, you are bound to enjoy this one as well. This set from Snapper Music comes housed in a stylish and durable folding case that will make you wonder why all CDs can't be as well-presented. The wings on the case feature the lyrics. Get Schoolyard Ghosts while it is still available and still reasonably priced.

It is killing Me that this album has been out for this long now and there is only one review for it. Schoolyard Ghosts is No-Man at their best, and anyone who enjoys great and wonderful music should hear this album. Of all the albums that I have heard so far this year, this is the best of them.

All Sweet Things 5/5
This is the perfect intro. A very slow and sweet song, that always has me thinking of the past.

Beautiful Songs You Should Know 4/5
This to me is not one of the better tracks on the album but still is better than most songs out there today.

Pigeon Drummer 4/5
The odd ball track on the whole album and mainly because of the loud drum sections. A Very strange track.

Truenorth 6/5
THIS IS THE NO-MAN SONG. This is THE best song on the album and is a perfect example of No-Man on top of their game.

Wherever There is Light 5/5
This Song is a great ballad and probably sweeter than "All Sweet Things".

Song of the Surf 5/5
I didn't like this song a first, but then I actually LISTENED to the whole thing and I couldn't believe that I didn't like it. While it does start off kinda slow it picks up towards the end and is very moving.

Streaming 5/5
This is the song that calms me down. The Shortest song on the album and if it was any longer, it probably wouldn't be any good.

Mixtaped 5/5
This is the final track on the album and while it may be slow and a little longer than it needs to be, it is the perfect ending. When this song is over you know that you have finished something wonderful.

This is definately the best No Man work. It acheives an amazing spiritual reach with these very interesting tunes. At times it reminds me of the mellower Porcupine Tree tunes because of Steve Wilson's input, yet it is different, unique and quite beautiful. Lots of nice atmospheres here. I was pleasantly surprised and very, very happy with this release. If you are a Porcupine Tree fan or just a fan of interesting and progressive soundscapes with great vocal work and lyrics then you should own this. This CD along with the new RPWL Experience are the best CDs of 2008 so far.

I agree with the comments of the previous reviewers. I think it's the best No-man album, but, moreover, it is one of the best albums you can buy. This music touchs your soul.

WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! Perhaps the best Steven Wilson album ever, including Porcupine Tree (who I love) and Blackfield (who I love).

No-Man is a band that's never shown hesitancy to evolve or grow, but with "Schoolyard Ghosts" the change is a bit more subtle. The band has found a space it's comfortable exploring in, the hazy soundscapes and lovely pop of Returning Jesus and Together We're Stranger, but while those records were soaked in melancholy, "Schoolyard Ghosts" brings something else, an unusual sense of hopefulness.

This is probably best illustrated on the absolutely fantastic "Wherever There Is Light"-- it features the usual No-Man swirl, but with a different sound-- cleantone electric guitars and a melodic slide lead guitar offset a powerful vocal delivery by Tim Bowness exploring finding your place in the world. As atypical for the band as it is though, it's sincere, emotionally gripping, and utterly compelling. This sort of overt or hinted optimism is found throughotu, be it lush opener "All Sweet Things" (with a deep sense of nostalgia and a great fuzzy guitar lead) or extended cut "Truenorth" (downtrodden but unusually hopeful, expanding out over some twelve minutes).

Mind you, this is No-Man, it travels in different directions. Closer "Mixedtaped" throws away all the optimism for a bleak moodiness quite as dark as anything they've done. And standout "Pigeon Drummer" would have found a home on Wild Opera, alternating noisy blasts of fierce drumming (courtesy of guest and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto) and noise guitars with a haunting, quieter verse building cinematic suspense. The album mixes it up enough to avoid falling into the trap of getting dull.

Still, while it's a great album, I hesitate to give it five stars, mostly because I think the band's done better (Returning Jesus for example). Admittedly, this is a bit unfair because "Schoolyard Ghosts" is a great, great record, but No-Man's exceeded it. Nonetheless, this one is well worth investigation. Highly recommended.

I got into no-man after this album was released and so I went back in time to listen to their other albums. After listening to all of them, I realized that this album is one of their best. It has so much subtle beauty and elegance & one can easily miss them if not paying attention. The album takes you on a superb voyage and I would recommend this to anyone's "bucket list" if you have one!

This is a really cool cd, I enjoy it mostly because it is produced by SW. Tim's voice is soothing and the musical production is so awesome. None of the songs are bad, and some moments in certain songs really blow me away. Cool stuff for suuuuure. :@

This album is a must not only for avid fans but for everyone who's got discerning taste and is sensitive enough to discover each and every subtlety this record reveals after you have listened to it for yet another time. In my opinion this is the best offering in NO-MAN oeuvre. So buy this masterpiece and immerse yourself in the world of wisful beauty and addictive melancholy!

I don't know if this is their best album. "Returning Jesus" might get that nod on the basis of consistency alone. But "Schoolyard Ghosts" feels like the No-Man album that involved the most growth. In the five years since "Together We're Stranger," Steven Wilson has made quantum leaps in his producing and mixing techniques. He brings all that to bear on a very diverse set of songs with perhaps the widest array of emotions yet heard on a No-Man release. Singer Tim Bowness has been quiet that last several years after a flurry of excellent releases in the early 2000's. But the time between albums has been put to good use. Bowness now sharply draws his minimalist lyrics so that the songs cut right to the heart of each subject. And the melodicism and confidence in his voice has never been better. The epic, three part "Truenorth" is likely one of the definitive No-Man tracks. And "All Sweet Things" and "Mixtaped" aren't far behind. No-Man fans will be ecstatic about this album, and I would suggest that Porcupine Tree fans give it a go as well. Those who enjoy the more melodic side of PTree will find this essential.