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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A brand new Magnum album in true classic style., 31 Aug 2004
Following on from the 2002 comeback album "Breath Of Life", this new offering from one of Britain's best kept secrets is nothing short of stunning!Whereas BoL was a collection of (good) songs written by Tony Clarkin while Magnum were in recess, "Brand New Morning" has been written as a Magnum album from start to finish, and the result is a beautifully flowing work that just screams "classic Magnum" at you from the off. No fillers here, all great songs. From the broodingly heavy "Immigrant Son", to the ghostly feel of wind over a battlefield in "The Blue and the Grey", the song writing is of the highest quality with meaningful lyrics and perfectly timed solos and fills. Bob Catley's voice sounds as good as ever - who said beer and cigarettes are bad for you? Just when you think it can't get any better, "The Scarecrow" arrives and blows you away - Magnum's best ever song? Possibly, it has all the ingredients that put it up there with the likes of "Les Morts Dansant" and "Don't Wake The Lion". Likewise, this album is good enough to be put on the same pedestal as the 2 albums those songs came from. It is unlikely to reach anything close to the commercial success of the 80's, but that doesn't stop it being of equal quality. The recording has benefited from the addition of Harry James on drums who drives the music through brilliantly. With Al Barrow on bass, they form a very tight cohesive rhythm section. Mark Stanway provides some scintillating keyboard breaks that further enhance the classic feel. Production is good, but retains enough of the raw sound to make it feel like a British rock album. Gone are the over-polished production attempts to break the band in the USA, thank goodness. Bottom line.... buy it! Now! You won't be disappointed.
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