Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Magnum
Label: SPV Records
Release: 2014
Running time: 62:42
Rating: 3.5/5
Magnum are back among us with a new studio album. As is almost customary for them, it comes with an epic title, »Escape From The Shadow Garden«, while the phenomenally good cover art by longtime design collaborator Rodney Matthews is once again in the traditional style, not to mention the return of the slightly stylized »On a Storyteller’s Night« (1985) logo. Both sleeves of the album feature assorted motifs from Matthews’ Magnum covers to date, going all the way back to 1982, which means the cult graphic artist really went all out this time. All of this hints, even before you press play on »Escape From The Shadow Garden«, that this is yet another release in an ‘old-school’ spirit, with Magnum trying to at least partly recapture the songwriting approach and atmosphere of the ‘good old days’.
This trend has been going on since around 2007, when the current lineup of the band solidified with drummer Harry James, which means it continues the direction of the previous four studio albums. That’s both good news and bad news: there isn’t a single bad song on it, and nearly every composition apart from »Too Many Clowns« is built in the recognizable Magnum melodic rock style, but on the other hand, »Escape From The Shadow Garden« has damn few truly exciting moments, and some of the arrangements come off as pretty generic.
The second problem, a smaller one but getting more pressing with every passing year, is Bob Catley’s increasingly weary voice. He still has that unmistakable charisma and passion, but the weight of the years is showing more and more in his vocal maneuvering. Instrumentally, Magnum are flawless once again, which goes especially for the legendary duo of Tony Clarkin (guitar) and Mark Stanway (keyboards), who delivers a string of solo masterpieces this time too. The rhythm duo of bassist Al Barrow and drummer Harry James is as convincing as ever, though without any standout solo moments this time. Magnum haven’t paid much attention to their prog roots for years, so it’s no surprise that this record is mostly melodic/hard rock in flavor too. The most art rock flavor can be felt in some of Stanway’s symphonic arrangements, which occasionally channel their best years (the eighties).
Clarkin, with a few exceptions, wasn’t exactly bursting with songwriting inspiration this time, so some of the tracks on the album are simply uninteresting or bring nothing new to the table, which is far from saying they’re bad. The album opens with the punchy, if not downright revitalizing »Live ‘Til You Die«, whose pompous symphonic arrangement is thrilling enough to win over all the longtime followers of the Magnum legacy. It’s even one of their better openers in the last twelve years, as it contains all those sonic elements that made a household name out of these British melodic rock champions in the eighties: Catley’s energetic vocal delivery, Clarkin’s melancholic guitar passages blending seamlessly with Stanway’s epic synth arrangements, all backed by a dynamic and massive rhythmic foundation.
»Unwritten Sacrifice« opens with an iconic symphonic arrangement that, driven by Clarkin’s guitar phrases, builds a melodic-epic tempo. After a strong opening track on par with their best work, it’s a decent follow-up to that punchy and majestic atmosphere. You have to give it to the Magnum guys: at least in the opening stretch of the album they really made an effort and created the mood that graced their classic albums. Unfortunately that doesn’t hold for »Falling Fort The Big Plan«, where the high standards of the opening stretch dip a bit, though it’s still a solid piece of work. A slow, piano-driven intro gives way to a punchy section with mighty drum fills, but with a nondescript and slightly generic chorus. Catley’s furious vocal turn is followed by a mighty guitar solo with which Clarkin once again proves why he’s one of the most overlooked guitar heroes of our time. »Crying In The Rain«, which is marked by an energetic guitar phrase and where Bob squeezes the maximum out of his voice, has a somewhat drawn-out intro and quite a few unusual rhythmic stops, but also a polished AOR chorus that many an old fan will like.
»Too Many Clowns«, easily the weakest track on the album, is a rather illogical, if not bizarre hard rock/rock’n’roll experiment that sounds more like AC/DC than Magnum, which means its main trait is ‘holy simplicity’: a meager selection of chords, an almost danceable beat, and a banal chorus with even more banal lyrics. The only thing that somewhat ‘saves the day’ here is Clarkin’s guitar. The power ballad »Midnight Angel«, which slightly recalls the ‘hair metal’ style of the album »Goodnight L.A.« (1990), isn’t among the album’s best moments either, since despite its pompous pulse and tasteful symphonic arrangement it somehow fails to develop in the right direction. This is also where Catley’s occasional vocal fatigue is most obvious, though he does manage to mask it well at the right moments.
All the better, then, is the energy catalyst »The Art Of Compromise«, which opens as a melancholic ballad but quickly turns into a spirited melodic rocker with an epic arrangement. This time the old fox Stanway really pulled off a synth arrangement that sounds like it was lifted from the mid-eighties. This upbeat composition, with its solemn pulse and dynamic rhythm, strongly recalls their golden era between 1985 and 1988, which makes it one of the best chapters of this album. »Don’t Fall Asleep« is a melancholic, fairly generic, but still interesting enough power ballad with a thrilling vocal performance from Catley, accompanied devotedly by subtle symphonic curtains. Even though many will think ‘heard it before’ while listening, this track hides an almost iconic Magnum chorus that will get all the loyal fans on their feet.
The solid »Wisdom’s Had Its Day« is likewise built in classic Magnum style, which means Catley’s ‘fairytale’ vocals, pompous symphonic arrangement, and a fiery guitar phrase rule here too. One of the bigger surprises is the mighty symphonic section, which is pushed to the front of the production this time. »Burning River« is another one of the album’s better moments, as it features a guitar phrase and rhythmic pulse similar to the unforgettable classic »Vigilante«, which again points to a lack of songwriting originality, but also to the band’s burning desire to send their loyal fans back to their golden days in a musical time machine. The similarity to that evergreen is more than obvious, and the same goes for the epic arrangement, while Clarkin’s witty guitar improvisation brings something completely new. The closing power ballad »The Valley Of Tears«, dominated by solemn symphonic arrangements, is a triumphant finale, just what suits these eternal English storytellers.
Musical escapism into fantasy worlds remains Magnum’s favorite pastime on »Escape From The Shadow Garden« too, which means the new album will satisfy, but not excite, all the longtime fans of these melodic rock heroes. Sadly, there are simply too many generic moments for this studio effort to rank among the best chapters of their career, though given their age and everything they’ve achieved so far, there’s no need to hold it against them too much. After all, nobody expects, let alone demands, a new »On a Storyteller’s Night« or »Wings Of Heaven« (1987) from Magnum. Going forward, though, it might not be a bad idea if the gentlemen Catley, Clarkin, Stanway, Barrow and James took a longer break before the next album, and in that time almost certainly gathered a bigger batch of fresh songwriting ideas.
Lineup
Bob Catley – vocals
Tony Clarkin – guitar, backing vocals
Mark Stanway – keyboards
Al Barrow – bass guitar
Harry James – drums
Production
Tony Clarkin
Track list
01. Live ‘Til You Die
02. Unwritten Sacrifice
03. Falling For The Big Plan
04. Crying In The Rain
05. Too Many Clowns
06. Midnight Angel
07. The Art Of Compromise
08. Don’t Fall Asleep
09. Wisdom’s Had Its Day
10. Burning River
11. The Valley Of Tears
