I have blogged before about the excitement of getting hold of a new album, the same excitement I felt donkeys years ago when buying some new vinyl as it was then, so imagine my glee when on Friday, the first day of release, the latest Magnum album was delivered from Amazon!
You know what to expect from Magnum, their style doesn't change that much probably because the guitarist Tony Clarkin has written the vast majority of their songs, not that I'm complaining. Bands do change their styles over time, look at how Americanised Def Leppard became for instance, but putting on a Magnum album is very like putting on an album from Status Quo, you know, you just know it ain't going to have changed that much!
To the tracks then. The album starts with a track called 'Peaches and Cream.' It's a great start and very typically Magnum with good solid drumming from new(ish) drummer Lee Morris. 'Show me your hands' is quite a fast track for Magnum held together with a great bass line from Al Barrow, incidentally on a FaceBook chat with Al I asked him what tracks off this latest album would be played on tour, but he said it was a secret!! We are seeing the band at the Islington Assembly room in March, interestingly Al said 'it's like playing inside a wedding cake!'
A change of tempo to a slower song with 'Storm Baby' a track that's very like 'Gypsy Queen' from their previous album 'Sacred blood divine lies.'
'Welcome to the cosmic cabaret' is the longest track on the album at 8.08 minutes
with a searing guitar solo from Tony Clarkin and some interesting, almost psychedelic keyboards from Rick Benton who took over keyboard duties when Mark Stanway left the band mid tour last year. The track ends on a slower section and drifts off, its a good track but maybe abit too long.
Title tracks are always difficult. They've got to deliver the very essence of the album and 'Lost on the road to eternity' does not disappoint. It boasts a great piano opening and a rattling good riff, all very Magnum and very good! There's a guest vocalist on this one as well, not that Bob Catley needs any help, from Tobias Sammeg, also some great orchestral moments that help to make this a very worthy title track.
'Without love' was released as a single and is probably my favourite track, maybe because I've heard it more than the others but maybe not. It's a rollicking singalong type track just what I like. The Memsahib & I were talking about Magnum & one of the things she likes about them is that their songs tell a story, I suppose I've always been less about the words and more about a good tune and a chorus I can bellow out!
'Tell me what you've got to say' is a mid album track. Have to say its rather forgettable this one, doubt one we'll ever hear played live.
'Ya wanna be someone' is another faster track and held together by a solid if alittle dull bass line, 'Forbidden Masquerade' has a nice guitar solo by Tony Clarkin, it's a modest track, nothing new here but it does the trick.
The penultimate track is called 'Glory to ashes.' Dare I say it's another pretty nondescript track, nothing bad about it at all and the bass and drums keep it rolling along. 'Kings of the world' is the final offering from Magnum this time round it's the second longest track at 7.04 minutes and is classic Magnum, it's a fitting end of a very good album.
Many albums offer up a little extra for the fans in the shape of unrealised tracks, though it has to be said sometimes once you've listened you understand why they were unrealised so instead Magnum have an extra CD featuring live versions of four tracks off their previous album 'Sacred blood divine lies' being the title track, 'Crazy old mothers,' You're dreams won't die' & 'Twelve men wise and just.' Its a very good addition.
Turning to the artwork on the CD case, its again by Rodney Matthews full of mystical creatures and magical forests, this one has some better known characters on in the shape of Dorothy (no red shoes though? Copyright issues maybe?) with Tinman, Scarecrow and the Lion there's also Alice along with the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit and an amusing figure of 'Death' sporting a Mickey Mouse badge, though my favourite is a dog running off with a string of sausages. He is probably called Ralph :)
There you have it. I felt real excitement when this little gem dropped through the letter box, it's a long time since I've actually got hold of an album on its realise date and it did not disappoint.
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Excellent album artwork featuring lots of well know characters.
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