Magnum is a particularly English institution, they are a band that could really only have come from that green a pleasant land but to try and decipher their appeal is rather moot. There’s melody, great structure, Catley’s voice and Clarkin’s guitar and the rest appears to be largely made up of magic. They are also a band that take you on a journey that is rarely by the most direct route, and that too is a large part f the charm: there is only only one song on ‘Lost on the road to Eternity’ under 5 minutes and that’s only by a second!
20 studio albums in Magnum have had several ups and downs over the years but since their 2002 reformation they’ve produced 9 albums and seem to be showing no signs of slowing down. Since their last outing though: 2016’s ‘Sacred Blood ‘Divine’ Lies’ they’ve also seen long standing keyboardist Mark Stanway leave the band along with drummer Harry James leaving the core of Clarkin and Catley with only long-time member Al Barrow on bass to welcome the changes.
Opening with ‘Peaches and Cream’ Clarkin immediately throws in a gentle curve-ball, it’s definitely Magnum but with gentle touches of someone like Robert Palmer. It’s a different, but not joltingly different, somehow simpler and smoother and it has you off balance for a moment before the rousing ‘Show Me Your Hands’ sets you immediately at ease.
The piano led ‘Storm Baby’ that follows builds to a rocking riff and and ebbs and flows beautifully producing an early highlight. Then the first of the epics ‘Welcome to the Cosmic Cabaret’ starts simply and gently like a deep cut by Toto but adds a gritty Catley vocal and soon finds it’s rocking feet tempered by a wonderfully emotive Clarkin solo. It’s a great song and one that I’ve kept on repeat.
The title track ‘Lost On The Road To Eternity’ is a powerful song – laden with keys, strings and great orchestration it’s lavish and another real highlight here, taking Magnum not exactly into uncharted territory, but rather venturing out into those lands on a fancier boat.
First single ‘Without Love’ is interesting in that it really doesn’t sound like classic Magnum – it rides a huge groove and sports a funky beat and although it has those unmistakable melodies short though there’s more repetition and less grand organic growth. Again though, when they step outside the comfort zone a little, it’s swiftly back to what they do best and ‘Tell Me What You’ve Got to Say’ certainly sounds more familiar.
The strangely informally titled ‘Ya Wanna Be Someone’ is another straight melodic rocker that does things a little differently and more simply, and it’s the variation on the theme that really works best here. ‘Forbidden Masquerade’ that follows swiftly afterwards adds lighter brushstrokes to the mix and even a bluesy breakdown with characteristic Magnum style.
The album proper closes out with two of the best – ‘Glory to Ashes’ a glorious mid-paced rocker that tells an epic tale and paints a vivid Clarkin vignette and the second real epic ‘King of the World’ a more than fitting way to end the album with Clarkin and new keyboardist Rick Benton to the fore.
Magnum’s 20th studio album is one that rates very highly indeed and will not only please the diehard fans but also hints (especially in the title track) of new creative possibilities. Clarkin and Catley sound as fresh here as they have in years and along with that the return of the vintage logo is also a nice touch.
The album features a total of four live bonus tracks which were not available for review: ‘Sacred Blood – Divine Lies’, ‘Crazy Old Mothers’, ‘Your Dreams Won’t Die’ & ‘Twelve Men Wise And Just’, recorded at Magnum’s 2017 performance at the Leyendas Del Rock festival in Alicante, Spain.
MAGNUM Live 2018:
26.01.18 GB-Minehead – Giants Of Rock
20.02.18 GB-Bristol – Trinity
21.02.18 GB-Cardiff – Tramshed
23.02.18 GB-Holmfirth – Picturedome
24.02.18 GB-Manchester – Academy 2
25.02.18 GB-Hull – Welly
26.02.18 GB-Aberdeen – Garage
27.02.18 GB-Glasgow – Garage
01.03.18 GB-Belfast – Limelight
02.03.18 GB-Birmingham – Town Hall
04.03.18 GB-Preston – Guildhall
05.03.18 GB-Nottingham – Rock City
07.03.18 GB-Leamington – Assembly
08.03.18 GB-Cambridge – Junction
09.03.18 GB-London – Islington Assembly Hall
11.03.18 GB-Southampton – Engine Room
12.03.18 GB-Brighton – Old Market
14.03.18 NL-Leiden – Gebr de Nobel
16.03.18 SE-Stockholm – Fryshuset Klubben
17.03.18 NO-Oslo – John Dee
18.03.18 SE-Gothenburg – Sticky Fingers
19.03.18 SE-Malmoe – KB
21.03.18 D-Munich – Ampere
23.03.18 D-Nürnberg – Der Hirsch
24.03.18 D-Aschaffenburg – Colos-Saal
25.03.18 D-Berlin – Columbia Theater
27.03.18 D-Bonn – Harmonie
28.03.18 D-Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
29.03.18 D-Freiburg – Jazzhaus
31.03.18 D-Wuppertal – Live Club Barmen
01.04.18 NL-Uden – De Pul
03.04.18 D-Leipzig – Werk 2
04.04.18 D-Hamburg – Fabrik
05.04.18 D-Bremen – Aladin
07.04.18 D-Neuruppin – Kulturhaus
08.04.18 PL-Bydgoszcz – Klub Kuzinia
10.04.18 CZ-Prague – Nova Chemelnice
11.04.18 D-Memmingen – Kaminwerk
12.04.18 CH-Pratteln – Z7
13.04.18 I-Milano – Legend
15.04.18 E-Barcelona – Bikini
16.04.18 E-Madrid – But
