Artist: Magrathea
Label: Self-released
Release: 2008
Rating: 4/5
I’ve known the name Magrathea for quite a while, and I first got to know their music through samples on their website. I finally decided to give the whole album a shot too, and keyboardist Glenn Alexander was happy to oblige. I was into the samples right away and figured the band had a fair bit of talent, but bands often put their best material front and center while the rest of their stuff can be pretty weak. So I was cautious with Magrathea. Turns out there was no need. The moment I heard the first track on In Search of the Crystal, I knew these guys were the real deal.
These days Magrathea is just two guys: Glenn Alexander on vocals, keyboards and drums (programmed?), and Gary Gordon wrestling with the guitar and bass. Early on they had a drummer and a guitarist along for the ride (Gordon was still on bass back then), but now it’s just the two of them. Judging by the quality of the material, they’re doing just fine without the rest of the crew.
It’d be easy to toss Magrathea into the same bin as all those other bands trying to catch that progressive spirit of the seventies symphonic groups, but there’s a big difference. Magrathea can get pretty dark at times, and that goes for the very sharp lyrics too. That’s exactly why I’d put Magrathea in the same waters as, say, Arena or IQ, two bands that also have interesting lyrics and play dark music.
From the very start it’s clear that Magrathea draws heavily on Genesis. I know plenty of bands doing similar things, but only a few pull it off as well as Magrathea. The music has style. Even though the sound recalls Genesis back when they were pared down to a four-piece in the mid-70s, the compositions are pretty original. The first and last tracks could pass as classic epics paying tribute to the 70s masters, but the main body of the album is made up of shorter, catchier songs. There’s plenty of soloing in those too, on both guitar and keyboards, but the structure is fairly basic. That melodic side reminds me of Arena. They also often slip an epic or two onto an album while the rest is made up of more tuneful songs. Besides the Genesis influence, you can occasionally hear Emerson, Lake and Palmer (the organ) and sometimes Yes (the synths). Magrathea has great role models, but we’ve seen all this from other bands before. Magrathea knows how to put those influences to work, and together with their own ideas, these two guys have made an album that’s better than those of many bigger (more popular) bands.
Magrathea is one hell of a band. Both guys clearly know their way around their instruments, but they’re not the type to show off. They use their talents for the good of the music. Glenn is excellent on keys and conjures up some lovely organ and synth solos. Gary is just as outstanding on guitar, which can be gentle or full-on hard rock. Glenn also handles the vocals (and I’m almost sure the lyrics too). His voice slightly recalls Fish (ex-Marillion). It’s soft and mellow, and pretty distinctive. That’s something else I miss in today’s singers. They mostly sound faceless. Glenn’s voice is very distinctive, even if his style sometimes recalls Fish. The only minor problem on the album might be the drumming. It’s mostly good, but a couple of times the programmed drums (I’m assuming they’re programmed) sound unnatural. If they really are programmed, they’re done very well, since the sound is mostly totally natural, with just a couple of slip-ups, like I said.
One of the main things that sets this band apart from others of a similar stripe is the lyrics. Glenn Alexander writes remarkably intelligent lyrics and has a good grasp of lots of different subjects, with just the right dose of British humor. That’s something else I miss in newer bands – the humor that so graced the bands of the seventies. Glenn’s lyrics are deep, and so is his humor. It’s not just cheap bathroom jokes; you really have to think about the humor before you get it. That’s exactly why the jokes stay funny much longer than with some other artists (Zappa, for instance).
Magrathea should be way better known than they are. They should be playing venues like Arena and IQ do. But I get the feeling the band will have a hard time breaking out of obscurity and will always just carry the cult band label. If the two of them wanted to win over a bigger fanbase, they’d have to hit the road, but that eats up a ton of money and is risky. I’d love to see what Magrathea can do live, but I get why they don’t want to. If they keep making music like this for a long time, I’ve got nothing to complain about. Fans of neo and newer symphonic bands will no doubt enjoy Magrathea. As far as I’m concerned, they’re on the same level as IQ and Arena, and better than The Flower Kings and Spock’s Beard.
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I’ve been aware of the name Magrathea for quite a long time and I’ve heard quite a bit of their music from the samples on their website, so I finally decided to take the plunge and give a chance to an entire album. I already enjoyed the samples immensely and thought that this band had a lot of talent, but bands often put their best material on display, while the rest of the music can sometimes be pretty weak. So, I was cautious with Magrathea. But there was really no need. The minute I heard the first piece on In Search of the Crystal, I knew Magrathea was the real deal.
Magrathea is nowadays a duo made up of Glenn Alexander on vocals, keyboards and drums (programmed?) and Gary Gordon on guitar and bass. At the start of their recording career their line-up also included a drummer and a guitarist (in those days Gordon played bass), now it is just the two of them. Judging by the quality of the material, they are doing just fine on their own.
It would be easy to lump Magrathea together with so many other newer bands that try to recapture the spirit of the 70s symphonic bands, but there is a big difference. Magrathea’s music can be very dark and sinister at times, as can the lyrical matter, which is also very clever. That is why I would consider Magrathea to be in the same league as bands like Arena and IQ, which also have intriguing lyrics and often the music is pretty dark as well.
It is clear from the start of the album that Magrathea draws on the influence of Genesis quite a bit. I know of several bands who do this, but Magrathea really do it with style. The music is very tasteful. Although the sound may remind of the 4-man era of Genesis, the compositions are pretty original. The first and the last song on the album could go down as classic epics with nods to several of the big 70s names, but the middle part of the album is made up of catchy songs with truly great hooks. Naturally, there is a lot of soloing on the keyboards and guitar, but the song structure is pretty basic (except for the two “epics”). In a way, this melodic quality of the music reminds me of Arena, where they also put an epic or two on their albums, combined with more melodic songs. Besides the Genesis influence, there is also an obvious ELP vibe in a couple of places and I noticed some Yes elements as well. All the influences are there, but it is important that Magrathea know how to utilize this. And they do this masterfully, with the end result being a crafty collection of songs and epics that put many bigger (more popular, to be precise) bands to shame.
Magrathea is indeed one hell of a band. Both guys obviously have a great deal of expertise playing their instruments, but they don’t show off too often. They use their talents to make better music. Glenn is great on the keyboards, with many nice organ and synth solos. Gary also does some terrific guitar work, ranging from softer to hard rocking. Glenn also takes on the vocal duties (I’m pretty sure he’s also the lyricist). There’s something Fishy about his voice (I mean the ex-Marillion singer not the aquatic vertebrate). His voice is soft and mellow and very distinguishable. That’s also one of the features I miss in singers nowadays. They all sound the same. Glenn’s voice is quite unique, even if his styling does sometimes resemble Fish’s. I think the only slight problem might be the drumming. It’s usually okay, but on one or two occasions the programmed drums (I’m assuming they’re programmed) sound too fake. If the drums are programmed, they are done extremely well because most of the time they sound very natural, except on a couple occasions, as I’ve already mentioned.
One of the key features that distinguishes this band from many others of the same (or at least similar) ilk are the lyrics. Glenn Alexander’s lyrics are highly intelligent and insightful, with just the right dose of British humour. That’s what I’ve been missing in newer bands – the humour that the 70s bands were so good at. Glenn Alexander’s lyrics are very profound and so is his humour. It’s not just telling dirty or cheap jokes, you really have to think what the joke is about and that is exactly the reason why the joke doesn’t get old as fast as with some other artists (like Zappa, for example).
Magrathea should really be a lot more popular than they are. They should be playing at the same venues as the likes of Arena and IQ. However, I have a feeling that this band will find it hard to break away from their status, which could be described as cult, but they could also be described as fairly obscure. In order to get more fans, they would have to go on the road, but in order to do that, you have to invest a great deal of money and it is a huge risk. I would love to see what Magrathea would be capable of doing live, but I understand why this might never happen. As long as they keep producing the goods, like on this effort, I guess I’ll have nothing to complain about. Fans of neo and new symphonic should really get a kick out of this band. As far as I’m concerned, they are very much in the same league as Arena or IQ and better than The Flower Kings or Spock’s Beard.
Lineup
Glenn Alexander – keyboards, vocals, drums
Gary Gordon – guitar, bass
Production
Magrathea
Tracklist
1. In Search Of The Crystal 8:19
2. Bug Eyed Monster 6:44
3. Keeper Of Souls 5:52
4. It’s About That Time 4:24
5. Passion Play 5:52
6. Into The Drink 5:34
7. Magician 6:52
8. Heaven Is Never Enough 5:53
9. Interactive Dreamers 13:03
