MR

wow, has it really been 40 years? The Birmingham lads are up to studio album #16--and #6 after the reformation--and I have to say there is still life left in the Magnum machine. I'll save everyone the pain of reading an epitaph (which is http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/rea ... msg-913597 if you really want to read it), but I do believe they are figuring out what made the band so great in the first place. Perfect? no, and I tend to agree with Andrew that the tracklisting needs some tweaking, but somehow Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin have released probably the best album in some time. They have also managed to not turn Magnum into a nostalgia act. Go to a show and you'll probably get 6 or so new songs and about half the set will be post-reformation songs--other bands should try this! Take some combination of AOR, melodic rock, progressive tendencies, British pomp rock, and add a very tight band with one of the best singers out there, and this is what you end up with.

Magnum - On the 13th Day
Shadow Town http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqLneoW2z5Y
Blood Red Laughter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ-W2gRmL04
So Let It Rain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztjLcPIgi9M

I just heard that Tony Clarkin likes and agrees with my track order

kgdjpubs wrote:wow, has it really been 40 years? The Birmingham lads are up to studio album #16--and #6 after the reformation--and I have to say there is still life left in the Magnum machine. I'll save everyone the pain of reading an epitaph (which is http://www.melodicrock.com/phorum52/rea ... msg-913597 if you really want to read it), but I do believe they are figuring out what made the band so great in the first place. Perfect? no, and I tend to agree with Andrew that the tracklisting needs some tweaking, but somehow Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin have released probably the best album in some time. They have also managed to not turn Magnum into a nostalgia act. Go to a show and you'll probably get 6 or so new songs and about half the set will be post-reformation songs--other bands should try this! Take some combination of AOR, melodic rock, progressive tendencies, British pomp rock, and add a very tight band with one of the best singers out there, and this is what you end up with.

Magnum - On the 13th Day
Shadow Town http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqLneoW2z5Y
Blood Red Laughter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ-W2gRmL04
So Let It Rain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztjLcPIgi9M

Just listened to Shadow Town...love it..great lyrics ....WoW...Thanks

It is fantastic!

I have been a fan since 1987 and this release measures up. My only regret is I will most likely never get to see them in concert.

AR wrote:It is fantastic!

I have been a fan since 1987 and this release measures up. My only regret is I will most likely never get to see them in concert.

I didn't find out about them until the release of Bob Catley's The Tower (which I'll still stack up with the best of the Magnum catalog).

Being in the US, I share the same problem. The closest I'll probably come to seeing them live was when Palladia broadcast All England's Eyes from the High Voltage 2010 special. Talk about a shock to see that come on tv. I knew they played the festival, but never figured it would be broadcast over here since practically no one has ever heard of Magnum.

Andrew wrote:I just heard that Tony Clarkin likes and agrees with my track order

I saw that. It does sound better in that order. I tend to prefer From Within as the closing song--it just sounds like an ending song. Of course, putting All the Dreamers on the back doesn't bother me. If I was going to drop one song, that would be the one.