Avoiding the pitfalls of being classed as purely a nostalgia project Magazine are back with an album of new material.They're a band who I have a hate love relationship with.
I always initially hate what I'm hearing and then after allowing myself to be beguiled I end up in love with it all.
Similarly when I first heard 'No Thyself' I was unimpressed and loathed what Devoto had come up with.
Inside my head a voice was screaming 'WHAT! IT TOOK THIRTY YEARS TO COME UP WITH THIS?', but unsurprisingly after a few days I'm now past that and into the getting to know you part of my relationship with Magazine.
There's already some mutual points we can get along with, and while I'm not yet comfortable in letting my feelings out I'll tentatively admit that I may quite like some of this, but then again maybe not a great deal of it as it is taking longer than usual to bed in.
The keyboards are a bit of a stumbling block to be honest.
They're pretty much ever present and overbearing in eighties cheesiness, and no matter how much I try and get on board with them I just can't.
It's a frustrating process this and I'm very close to throwing in the towel
They are so omni present that I think that I'm just going to have to sit this aside and if anyone asks say that they should approach the album with caution.
Lets just say it isn't the return I expected after witnessing them in full flow live.
Less post punk and more prog rock, but not in a good way.
Sorry but couldn't disagree more. This is a stunning album considering 30 years has passed. The timeless Magazine-sound is still there and all musicians are at their peak.
ReplyDeleteHorses for courses.
ReplyDeleteThe musicianship is faultless. I couldn't disagree, but it's the material that is getting played that I can't get to grips with.
It's still the keyboards that, for me, root it in the past and not in any way that I find attractive.