Aurora

The follow-up album to the critically acclaimed Ascendant, Alterations is a more varied collection than its predecessor, with each of the five tracks in the 'almost-pop' first half transformed into 'almost-classical' counterpart songs in the second half. This has been achieved through the cunning redeployment of musical riffs and themes, with occasional lyrical connections also being made.

It runs the gamut from naggingly catchy philosophical disco (The Death Of Copyright) to anthemic pop rock (Nothing Impossible), messed-up apocalyptic cabaret (The Up Shit Creek Blues), gypsy/flamenco fuelled wonderment (Aurora) and soaring string-laden theatrical climaxes (The Forecaster). The connections between the two halves bind it all together in subtle and surprising ways.

An in depth track by track guide to Alterations can be found on Marks'official website (marknorthfield.com) under 'alterations revealed' in the main menu.

Inventive videos for some of the tracks from the album can be found on YouTube, featuring animation, hand puppets, choreographic collaboration and zombie drag. Two digital EPs have already been released for The Death Of Copyright and Nothing Impossible and can be found here on CD Baby.


ALTSOUNDS.COM 'Northfield's version of pop is more abstract than it is a direct reference; his lyrics are bursting with wry humor and sharp wit and the arrangements offer a few more complexities... The truth is, there really isn't a bad moment on Alterations, Northfield is an excellent composer with a firm grasp on what he wants to accomplish.'

GREENMANMUSIC 'Poignant and cryptic... The songs seem steeped in lyrical allegory, the music created by putting together ideas and instrumentation that have no business pairing up and the result is surprisingly listenable... Best to forget about sound bites and labels and just accept that it’s an album of continued surprises.'

RINGMASTER REVIEWS 'Personally the first half takes the honours the way Alterations is laid out but listened to as a series of singles as suggested the album and songs work even better and with a more fluid charm. The album is excellent and the more one plays with it the more it endears itself and reveals further the mind and ideas behind. '

RHYTHM & BOOZE '...a bewitching perhaps eccentric ten track epic quite unlike no other, full of drama, spills and thrills. Mark Northfield is a maverick genius, that the open-minded among you should hold in great admiration for creating such a daring and inventive release.'

MUDKISS FANZINE '...an experimental pop album, which tends not to occur in this era. All the way through, he integrates the classical elements in between the pop melody, breaking down the set structure of pop music and building it up as he wishes to construct it, much like the great experimental pop songwriters of the past.'

SKOPEMAG 'bursts with finely orchestrated beauty and piano-led melodicism'