MAGNUM

With a handful of lighter moments to break up the bombast, this British warhorse have delivered another consistent later period release. Continuing from the progress of the previous album, songwriter Tony Clarkin has proven adroit at crafting great bridges and pre-chorus sections even if they are housed in a formula Rock structure. The songwriting overall does suffer a little with this recent bout of Prince-like prolificism because there are only so many riffs and chord progressions that can be used in a hard rock context. Having said that, the formula is shaken up a bit with different tempos and feels and there is a strong sense that this era of the band is building up some serious momentum.

Merit points here particularly at the business end of the album which features two decidedly foot-stomping numbers 'Crazy Old Mothers' and the Uriah Heep-ish 'Gypsey Queen' and one thing that you cannot accuse this band of is lacking conviction. Elsewhere 'Afraid Of The Night' captures a classic Magnum vibe from the band's early period. 'Your Dreams Won't Die' is likewise a memorable track with poignant lyrics and an uplifting melody.

Magnum do share similarities with the aforementioned trailblazers Uriah Heep in that they continue to crank out albums regardless of whether they make the charts or not. I just wish they would use more shade and colour in the arrangements like the best Prog Rock bands do but I am picky because I have been a fan for 27 years!

There is nothing wrong with the music of course, it is solid and reliable as always. This is perhaps part of the problem. This is a band after all which honed a very unique stadium rock sound with gutsy, bravura vocals, smart lyrics and hooks abundant enough to cloak Tony Clarkin's entire collection of hats. The Magnum of old had a very positive, life-affirming quality to their music and while some of the themes were dark it was never overwhelmingly so. For the most part however, this album is a little bit leaner and less bludgeoning than the previous one (2012's 'On the 13th Day') and the occasional regurgitation of stock AOR riffery is broken up with a fresh integration of bubbling electronic synth passages and uplifting middle 8's ('Falling For the Big Plan' features some truly impassioned vocals from singer Bob Catley). 'Too Many Clowns' taps into the playful heavy rock found on the 1994 'Rock Art' album and offers some much needed respite from the themes of mortality and despair while 'Midnight Angel' treats its dark lyrical matter with subtle, ambient keyboard textures which sounds refreshing.

'Don't Fall Asleep' conversely seems to herald the album's second half which slides back into comfortable heavy rock and lament-filled ballad territory.

For the most part, this album from Magnum continues along the same path mapped out from the punchy rock sound of 'Brand New Morning' but delivers a handful of surprises in the arrangements to energise the tried and tested formula.

Elsewhere 'Only In America' offers a cynical view of the band's time trying to court the coveted US market and it does all this with a reasonable funk groove and a chorus that sounds like Asia.

Where is Magnum in all of this you may ask? The title track is one of the few songs that comes to life before it falls to sleep again in a haze of keyboard ambience, leaving only the catchy, melodic 'Prayer For A Stranger' and the lukewarm but agreeable groove of 'The Long Ride' where singer Bob Catley deepens his range to a chilled Bowie or Icehouse warble.

Perhaps most significantly for this album, Rodney Mathews has been commissioned for the cover art again for the first time since 1985. I dare say however, that more depth can be found in the artwork than most of the music contained therein.

The previous album 'Wings Of Heaven' broke into the UK Top 5 and the band did this on their own terms with a set of songs that were catchy yet retaining the British quirks that made them unique.

This follow-up squeezes the band dry with saccharine production and lacklustre material. There is however a handful of catchy songs ('Rockin Chair','Heartbroke and Busted', 'Mama') and some cuts that demand re-appraisal ('Only a Memory', 'Reckless Man', 'Born To be King') but the approach to my ears at least, never seems to gel. Magnum were better off being Magnum.

There are many parallels between Magnum and Uriah Heep. Both bands dabbled in a fantasy world of escapist album covers and Proggy arrangements that augmented their desire to rock. Both bands also enjoyed low-key to moderate success on the world stage while grazing the Top 20 in their home territories with seminal album releases. With Heep it was the 'Demons and Wizards' era, Magnum the late '80s 'Wings of Heaven' era where the band cracked the Top 10!

Despite Tony Clarkin's ability to mine the AOR sheen of Kansas/Boston/Foreigner/Toto/Survivor/REO Speedwagon, this is as popular as the band would get commercially.

This album (despite being a Top 5 hit in the UK) was nowhere to be found on antipodean shores but I procured it second hand for $2 on cassette somewhere and couldn't wait to hear it.

Expecting hard hitting metal to blast from the speakers, I was immediately let down by the perfectly manicured AOR politely filling the room. This presented a quandary. How could I bang my head and pump my fist to music that sounded like John Farnham or Michael Bolton?

However, I played it again and realised the subtlety of the approach was actually a good thing and yes, I could still mime holding a lighter to inspiring romantic ditties like 'It Must Have been Love' and enjoy the guilty pleasure moments like when the guitar chimes in on 'I'm never gonna give you up...DA DA DA DA' in 'Start Talking Love'. The keyboards on this album too are more atmospheric and economical and usually soar in at key emotional moments in the song. The varied and prose-worthy lyrical content also elevates the music above the conceptually banal bands such as Asia who by this stage had dissolved into a fog of riff-laden AOR drivel.

This brand of punchy AOR with catchy melodies and impassioned vocals is worth the investment especially if you are a fan of this band. Aside from the solid hit singles including 'Days of No Trust', 'Wild Swan' and the excellent momentum of the closing track, the World War themed epic 'Don't Wake the Lion', it's a lean yet muscular album with dynamics and bombast in equal measure.