I'll be honest: I wasn't sure how Matt Hales' second CD released in the US could possibly compare with Aqualung's beautifully crafted debut, Strange and Beautiful, but Memory Man keeps the masterful pop legacy alive. Matt Hales (Aqualung) is consistently compared to other Brit-Rock/Pop bands, but he creates music that is generally much more intricate and layered than many other mainstream "piano rock" bands. This album showcases his many other talents. Not only does Hales utilize digital instrumentation to create unique, wonderful sounds on tracks such as "Pressure Suit" and "Broken Bones," but he also creates delicate arrangements that further add to the power of the music. He also seems to be one of the few artists that pay close attention to the order of the tracks on the CD itself: a mood is created through the ordering of the tracks that is hard to come by on many of the CDs you'll find being released today. So, what exactly is Memory Man? Well, it's a masterfully arranged, beautiful set of songs that add a touch of melancholy and even hope to the listener.… Expand

Great album. Loved Strange & Beautiful, and this is even stranger and more beautiful. Sounds like Radiohead gone pop and a little bit more melodic. Absolutely worth the wait. Must-buy!

ugh.. sorry, but this album is a mess. if your record collection includes five for fighting, john mayer, and keane - you're in for a treat. if you're not a fan of that kind of packaged pop, then stay away from memory man. strange and beautiful at least contained moments of interesting, moody, and creative songwriting... unfortunately, memory man contains nothing but sappy, predictable pop.… Expand

This new cd is simply brilliant. As an avid fan of Coldplay, I am attracted to the calm and mellow tone of the music, but unlike Coldplay, Aqualung's music is just so reachable. His normalcy is what makes him so special. His music is incredibly heartfelt and theres no way to describe it other than amazing. This CD is great.

Matt delivers the grandeur of Coldplay while still keeping a quaint, unpolished feel. A quality work from an up and comer; he's definitely someone to watch in the future.

The greatest 3rd album by any new comer!!!!!!!!

The album is simply genius, there's nothing more to say about it.

Worth the long wait

the new album is awesome! it not very aqualungy but i think thats something that make this album stronger, not that im saying that it being aqualungy is a bad thing!!! cos its soo not! im liking the new techno sound especially on Black Hole, as i am a fan of that sound. i find the album really uplifting and fresh, and though their are these new sounds in between them we gat a little of the old blissful aqualung to reassue us its still them! i believe people will find the album a little too much of a jump but if like me you've seen them in concert you'll know that they are just showing their true colours! a beautiful yet strange album! 5stars! (excuse the pun please. lol.) Alice XX aka alicelovesmatt… Expand

This is a great album! Prior to the release, I was wondering what direction this album would go in, and to be honest, I was a bit worried that nothing could match the prior work released by Mr. Matt Hales. However, this album is a great step forward and is also a logical one. While much of the past Aqualung music is focused on piano pop + singer songs, "Memory Man" goes to the next level by really focusing more so on full, lush sounds (more guitars and more 'noises'). It's really a great step for the band, and if you've seen them live, this sound comes as no surprise. The album in its entirety is lovely and a great piece of work, but if you are looking for select tracks, my advice would be to listen to "Cinderella," "Rolls So Deep," and "Outside" along with the first single, "Pressure Suit." But honestly, do yourself a favor and listen to the entire album -- you'd be missing something great if you skipped over any of it!… Expand

amazing cd, so relaxing, great vocals and great use of piano... love this cd

The album, unlike many other musicians' works, kept me listening from beginning to end. The lyrics, the music itself, all beautiful and soothing. If you don't buy this CD, you'll be missing out on one of the greatest albums of the year!

Memory Man is outstanding. It's an album that suits any mood and what can be better than that?

This is an incredible album with so much creativity in it. A definite must for music lovers.

This album is crazy good. Though initially I was a bit turned off by the harder edge....after a few listenings, however, I changed my mind and lets face it....if you go to a show you want to rock a little instead of sitting their crying and after seeing them play Memoryman songs live twice I can say that they ROCK as well as roll!!!!

I have been an Aqualung fan for years, and Matt Hales is continuing to impress me with the new material. Memory Man surpassed even my own high expectations. The new single "Pressure Suit" is great, but you should definitely check out the rest of the album to hear the other tracks- they should NOT be missed. One of my favorites is "Rolls So Deep".

Exactly what you would expect of the master Matt Hales. Another 10 for Aqualung. Memory Man is a masterpiece especially Cinderella, Pressure Suit and Glimmer

This album has an intensity no other posesses.