HOME + NEW YORK SUITE

This new CD by UK band Magenta (with many guest musicians) is a concept story about a woman who emigrates from Liverpool to the USA in the Seventies. The extra CD entitled The New York Suite (five songs) tells her stories in the 'Big Apple'. By the way, The New York Suite will be released seperately in September 2006.

Listening to this new CD I notice that Magenta has succeeded to sound more original and the compositions contain more variety. The Magenta sound is still based upon the pleasant voice by Christina, the strong guitar work by Chris Fry (a great Floydian inspired solo in Towers Of Hope and captivating, Eastern sounding guitar play in A Dream) and flowing, very melodic and harmonic compositions. These are tastefully coloured by the keyboards like mellow piano, organ and harpsichord in Moving On, the distinctive sound of the Fender Rhodes electric piano in My Home Town and wonderful classical orchestrations in Joe and Journey's End. The final two songs feature the Uillean Pipes, especially the contrast with the fiery wah- wah guitar is great.Though Magenta sounds a bit polished and at some moments a bit tame, the band has delivered their best and most captivating album!

The extra CD (Limited edition) contains five alternating songs, remarkable is the blend of the Seventies Yes sound (Howe guitar, Squire bass and vocal harmonies) because on the above reviewed CD Home, Magenta showcases a more original sound. The best tracks are Arrival with classical orchestrations, bombastic eruptions, howling guitar and fluent synthesizer runs and the compelling White Lies with lots of changing climates and pleasant work on guitar, keyboards and flute.

It's not what I expected when I pre-ordered

Based on great advertisement right here at this site I pre-ordered this special edition couple of weeks ago and arrived to me quite fast - faster than my expectation. It's great, because typically it takes three weeks from UK to my hometown. When I opened the package I was bit disappointed with the CD package as it did not meet my expectation. Reading the communication / promotion kit from the label I expected the special edition package would come with something that look luxurious: wonderful artwork and beautiful sleeve notes. I found nothing and it's enough for me to say that the packaging is very disappointing. When I say so, I compare with recent prog music issues like The Flower Kings "Paradox Hotel" which even I ordered the regular edition from amazon but I got a really beautiful package with 2 CDs. All the artwork and CD sleeves are truly excellent and it sets new standard of prog music package. It's also the same thing with The TANGENT "A Place In The Queue" which has a truly wonderful artwork by Ed Unitsky (the Roger Dean of 2000s, I think). Also, I can find another great package of Roine Stolt's "Wallstreet Voodoo" or even Arena "Peppers and Ghosts". All of them are presented wonderfully. But Magenta "Home" Special Edition? It's nothing man! It's very disappointing, I tell you! It's not worth the money at all. Even, there is no single word from the band telling the background of this album etc. (which I easily found with Roine Stolt's "Wallstreet Voodoo" at the first page, telling how he grew up with the late 60's music etc. etc.).

OK OK .. that's the CD package, what about the music? Fortunately you have good music even though the CD package is lousy. For those of you who love beautiful melody which by first spin engages your mind, this is definitely an album for you because almost all tracks are accessible to many ears. Neo prog lovers would definitely love this album as well because the music resembles the old days of neo prog with sometimes mellow music, slow to medium tempo, nice and stunning guitar work and touchy piano work. I don't have the right words in English but for my local language the key characteristic of neo prog is "mendayu-ndayu" (oh .. for those who understand how to translate this term into English, please do let me now). It's basically a composition that flows smoothly and naturally (most of the time you can predict how the chords and notes are about to move from one segment to another) with mellow or slow to medium tempo and relatively simple arrangement. A good example of this characteristic is shown completely and perfectly at track 3 "Moving On" of Disc One.

Good music, accessible, memorable melodies, good harmony - and then what? That's a challenging question I have for the band. Why? Comparing to their other studio albums like "Revolutions" and "Seven" this album is musically much more original. As you might check with my review on "Revolutions", I truly adore this album even though I know that the music is not really original - many influences from Genesis and Marillion - I like the melody and composition. The next album "Seven" gave the band a much maturity in delivering their music even tough there are segments that resemble the music of Yes. For this aspect, I do not see any similarity of any segment in the whole disc One that resembles to other older bands. I salute the band on embarking their music into a much original composition.

The music flows naturally from one track to another, with good melody and nice vocal of Christina. The problem I have with listening to this album in its entirety is the similarity of nuance from one track to another - it seems flat to me and it does not lift my emotion in any segment of the music through out one entire disc. Yes there are memorable segments but there are little variations in terms of compositions that finally make me getting bored with the music. Oh yes, there are great sounds of organ that remind me to Procol Harum but with modern sound and also stunning guitar work, but then what? I still get bored. It's probably there is nothing energetic in the music.

Disc 2 is a bonus disc for special edition package and it comprises 5 tracks. "Arrival" is a great composition with beautiful orchestra combined with neo prog music, characterized with stunning guitar work combined with keyboards. This track is quite energetic and should have been included as part of Disc One for variation. I enjoy the guitar solo work - it's really excellent. The other tracks are also good ones with excellent sound production.

Overall, this is a good album with excellent sonic production (Disc One and Two). The compositions are also good but when the CD is listened to in its entirety, I get bored because little variations from one track to another. The CD package is lousy artwork. The band must learn from The Flower Kings, The Tangent, Pain of Salvation etc. on how to create excellent artwork Look at the front cover artwork - you might associate this with first Peter Gabriel's first album. Peter's one is better than this one. And I think, artwork and CD package in prog music is a crucial element. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

This comes as something of a disappointment.The previous 2 albums released by the Welsh band are interesting symph prog.I particularly like Seven and awarded that 5 stars.However by comparison this seems to lack ideas and focus.The first half hour does have some good songs but is thinly padded out.Could have done with a bit of editing.3 stars.

The second disc has the word 'suite'.OK so its longer tracks but nothing here is close to being as good as the Seven album.At best 3 stars as well.

Magenta are a band desperately in need of new ideas I fear.

Magenta reminds me of one my favorite progressive rock bands, Mostly Autumn. They have a great female lead singer backed by fine musicianship. Christina Booth leads the band with her warm dreamy vocals and every track comes delivered to your ears via the tasteful guitar work of Martin Rosser, Chris Fry, and the many instruments manned by Rob Reed. Reed plays bass, guitar, piano, and mandolin to name a few select pieces of equipment. He is a versatile gent if I do say so myself. On the bottom end, Allan Mason-Jones sits behind the drum kit whilst Dan Fry keeps good time with his battery mate on bass. This is the core group. There are many other key contributors to this project that help to shape the sound as well (see credits).

Magenta's music is appealing yet effective, not always aggressive, but it invites you to jump in and become engrossed in the entire package. Home offers an array of very well thought out and played music that demonstrates each member's adeptness with each instrument. This is prog-rock after all so it's not cut and dried, it never is. This is the special edition with a five-track bonus disc titled New York Suite. The bonus disc turns out to be just as solid as the main disc in the set; it has a strong group of tracks.

It's a bit tough to single out favorites when you enjoy an entire set so completely, so let me just say that there is not a bad cut on this album. I heard nothing worth offering any objective criticism over. All the elements are in place here-good guitar, excellent vocals that tell the story well, keyboards that provide a nice bed of atmosphere for the rest of the instruments and most importantly, know exactly when to come in and build a bridge that leads to another time, place, and tempo in a composition. It all comes together quite nicely and as a listener, I could not ask for more. Magenta has perfected their presentation and sound in a most impressive way.

Prog-Rock can be a very difficult genre to make an impression and get the attention you deserve; it is a worldwide community but very small in comparison to other more popular styles of music. I have to say that these tracks are some of the best I have heard to date on a progressive rock release. I have heard my share as I always do so that is significant from my own perspective. Other than rock, prog is my first choice when I listen to music. So a job well done Magenta, you got my attention and made me a believer. So now, you have a new fan that will look forward to subsequent releases.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-www.muzikreviews.com

I must say that Magenta's Home seemed a disappointment to me among initial listens, most likely because I was expecting another "Seven" or "Revolutions." I think that may be the reason it's received a somewhat flat response here on Prog Archives and elsewhere. You tinker around with a successful formula and your fans drop it the minute they first hear it. That's so unfortunate for this third release by Magenta, again in the form of a wonderfully written concept album. After initial listens didn't click with me, I put it away and came back to it in recent weeks and have been pleasantly impressed with it ever since. It's a "grower," meaning that repeated listens will show its true musical beauty. You all know what I mean, don't you?

Home is again another masterpiece delivered by the talented Rob Reed and the exquisitely beautiful voice of Christina Booth. Like on previous releases, Reed honors his predecessors showing influences from the greats. On Home, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Marillion seem to be the major influences, though they still take a back seat to the evolving Magenta sound. I even sense a little Alan Parsons Project thrown in, unless my ears are deceiving me. Reed still showcases his Howe-influenced guitar work, but seems to have picked out a few pointers from some time listening to David Gilmour's work.

I still don't think Home is as good as Seven or Revolutions, but that doesn't mean it isn't a masterpiece. If Seven or Revolutions are at an even 5 stars, Home should be considered a 4.85. That's close enough in my book to give it the five star rating. Again, another highly recommended masterpiece in the symphonic/neo prog realm of our favorite genre.

This is the type of exercise I particularly dislike. A second and expanded-special edition of an original album. Why the hell does a band release an album twice ? The second time being a double CD featuring some additional songs ? Why not releasing the best of their recording sessions in ONE and ONLY great album?

The answer does not belong to me. Only my rating.

The original album was not very personal (but none of Magenta's albums were). This "special" two CD version being a good additional piece of work. There is actually no need to get the single studio version (other than a price issue of course).

If you combine these comments with the ones I have made for the genuine album, you can only be comforted with the fact that this album is good, but nothing extraordinary. "Magenta" should only have released this two CD sets version only.

"Home From Home", is a great bonus. Vocals are of course superb and the bombastic feeling is extremely catchy. No doubt that it is a highlight of this second part while the most symphonic number "White Lies" is another one here.

This expanded version is the only one to grab if ever this band is suited to please you. Nothing grandiose on this additional CD. Crafted vocals, long and sophisticated songs some of which are of great value ("Truth").

Anyway, "Magenta" should have released this special edition on the spot. As such, it is only fooling the fan (and his money).

Still, three stars.

Magenta's Home started life as a double concept album, but hoping to reach a broader audience the murky prog morass of the midsection (the New York Suite) was trimmed from the running order and released as a separate EP; later, a special edition would include it as a second CD, and most recently the album has been rereleased with the New York Suite tracks restored to their original intended position in the running order.

Sadly, none of the configurations of Home - with or without the New York Suite in place (I have both so I've been able to experiment) manage to meet the expectations established by the magnificent Seven. Without the New York Suite, the balance of the album is a bit skewed towards contemplated piano-plus-vocals pieces which become samey and tiresome over the course of the album; with the Suite in place, the album feels bloated and fails to sustain my interest.

In short, I think trimming back the material was the right idea, but the band went the wrong way about it - rather than selecting the proggiest part of the piece and excising it, they should have trimmed back the filler over the course of the entire album and produced a single-album concept with each of the different sections (pre-New York, New York itself, and post-New York) condensed down to a point where it's all killer and no filler. That would require substantially more work than just removing some songs - actual existing songs would need to be modified - but I think the results would have been much more satisfying than either the castrated short version or the overstuffed "director's cut" of the album are.