MAGNUM: Rock Art (A.O.R.): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

This is the album that could have been the last for the famous English band because we will have to wait eight long years of sleep before seeing the band re-form. And like its title could not have been chosen better, "Rock Art" presents Magnum in its most inspired and constructed light, after the sweet "Keeping The Night Lite Burning" released the previous year. From 'We All Need To Be Loved', it's clear that the band is hungry and eager to take on the new waves of Grunge and Pop.

The band, with Clarkin in the lead, dig into their Blues ('Hush A Bye Baby'), Soul and Rock roots to offer a little gem sometimes with a slightly electronic touch that they could have done without. In short, Magnum does what he does best, but by trying to incorporate new sounds and influences into his music and experimenting with new ways to renew himself.

Hard Hearted Woman', as concise as possible, is the epitome of hard and groovy rock (you'd almost expect a piano bar solo). Bob Catley's shape here is unparalleled to this day (he single-handedly carries the superb piano ballad 'Back In Your Arms Again'), and Wally Lowe's bass sounds metallic throughout the album. 'Rock Heavy' brings a touch of Reggae to the verses without sounding out of place while the classic 'Tall Ships' with its pedal steel and a 'Tell Tale Eyes' with its easy Rock N' Roll consonants, well anchored in its time, sound a bit too easy.

But the panache returns very quickly with the low 'Love's A Stranger', a racy AOR with prominent keyboards, the solid 'Just This Side Of Heaven' (one of the jewels of this album), which starts out softly and then offers a fine and solid Rock and 'On Christmas Day', about the spontaneous brotherhood observed on the front line during the First World War in 1914. This finale, very visual and poignant, almost epic (this flight on the solo), will remain one of the most beautiful tracks composed by Clarkin to this day.

"Rock Art" would deserve a much better place in the band's discography, but long-time fans have never forgotten it. With such maturity in 1994, it is no longer surprising to see the constant success of each release of the band since the beginning of the 21st century. - Official website

MAGNUM

ROCK ART

EMI

A.O.R.