Overall, it lacks the album for me somehow of pressure and size and all the time you wonders if Ronan goes on the back burner here, the duo has proven with the recent albums that they can much much much better: titles like "Space & Time" , "standing", "Honour" were electrical works of art and the masses have moved. Of these crackers Transnational is unfortunately miles away.
I myself am a big fan of VNV Nation, and will certainly remain even after this album it. I can understand when someone loves this album on everything, and I find it hard criticism of an album of a band to practice that counts as my absolute Lieblinsband whose melodies and lyrics touched me stehts and accompanied by ups and downs.
It is precisely because I know what to fantastic Hymen Ronan capable, I am disappointed by the mediocrity of the album.
What I miss most of all, is the Militant, the Rebel, which has such a red line drawn through all of the songs:
absent in Transnational, is somehow rebellious! Almost all VNV songs had this Fierce, driving, rebellious:
Lyrics as:
"I'm in the mood for total war", "Another Life for Another Dream" to bring "With this line I'll mark the past as a symbol for beginning" .... just three spontaneous example had power, mediated departure. From this energy I feel in TRANSNATIONAL nothing
I know that some will argue now: "Jaja age matters but VNV must evolve etc .. You hang times gone by.." Yeah, maybe I do, but I can not comment. If you're really good in a field means for me "further development" that tries to assert itself in this field instead of a style change to take place. VNV have created great albums that been relevant. One can Transnational not evaluate without more than 15 years before that body of work to have in mind. At least I feel that way. And no, not every change and automatically adjusts as an advancement.
I must however praise Ronans vocal performance on the album that still sounds like the first albums as fresh and powerful.
And at least Primary and If I Was have some potential, even if not fully exploited.
On the individual titles:
1) Generator:
Very nice intro 6/10
2) relative brave Electropopnummer. The Pretty joyous melody does not fit so the lyrics 6/10
"End of Everything"
3) Primary:
Here again flares up a little of the old splendor of past albums. Therefore for me the best track on the album. 8/10
4) Retaliate:
A halfway danceable song which it but lacks all corners and edges at depth. Too bad 5/10
5) Lost Horizon:
A first atmospheric instrumental, which is a bit boring towards the end. 6/10
6) TeleConnect Pt.1:
For a ballad too little feeling of little ups, too little depth, wafts this song by the chorus to chorus. 4/10
7) If I Was:
Again a song where setting this VNV feeling again. Along with the Primary only for me
good songs on the album. Even if the number would have done more speed 8/10
8) Aero Scope:
Below-average Instrumental 2/10
9) Off Screen:
Solider VNV song with a bit more atmosphere. 7/10
10) TeleConnect Pt.2:
Cute Outro 6/10
Conclusion:
"Primary", "If I Was" and perhaps even "Off Screen" for me are the only tracks on the album, which remind me of the great hymns of VNVs previous albums. The rest sounds to me this time just not to VNV and I know that many that with this album the same way.
For me personally Transnational is therefore the weakest of all VNV albums. What am positively true that the next certainly is better.
Ronan has what it takes. It is for me no doubt ...