BREATH OF LIFE

Quintesentially English band produce one of their strongest albums. Takes a few listens but a real grower which in my case at least means it will be listened to regularly ad infinitum. My 18 year old son also considers excellent, so much so that he went out and bought his own copy even though he hasn't moved out yet! The only other albums he's done this with beeing "Free" and "British Steel" by Priest. Much of Magnum's work since Wings Of Heaven can sound a bit samey and thisalbum has a feel running through the trackstoo, but here each also stand out as individual. Bob Catley's voice never sounded better and Tony Clarkin's lyrics and guitar phrases are excellent on what was their comeback album after their "Hard Rain" project. The last real track, Night After Night, is the standout moment. A fitting crescendo a to a well constructed album. Great chorus too. It really should have stopped then.... It loses a star for the bonus tracks. The first live track is ok, doesn't break the mood. The last is acoustic and again ok, the second however is really poor.....not the track (which is on Vigilante) but the recording. It's off the mixing desk I think and is so poorly reproduced it spoils the ambience. So much so that I generally turn it off...a rare thing with me I generally listen to the end of things. If the bonus tracks had been on a bonus disc I'd have been far happier...and would never have listened to it after the first time.