Album Review: Magnum - Here Comes The Rain
Reviewed by Rick Eaglestone
Magnum are a band like Thunder for me, I don’t listen to them as maybe as often as I should and when I do I ultimately ask myself why I don’t take the time to do a full deep dive, yes I have my favourites but never seem to get around to it, so when I saw the familiar logo and artwork from Rodney Matthews I seized the opportunity
Opening track Run Into The Shadows is instantly recognisable which is almost a huge relief as for a band that have been around as long as Magnum have you don’t want any nasty surprises early on and this cruises nicely into the softer title track Here Comes The Rain and the inevitable sweeping ballad of Some Kind Of Treachery which really highlights the collective unit the 5 piece make up each adding key elements and honestly, this is the best vocalist Bob Catley has sounded for as long as I can remember.
Upbeat and brimming with nonstop toe tapping elements is highlight track of the album After The Silence, the keyboards in particular really add in that real window down, road trip anthemic lift with a great follow up and slight change in dynamic on Blue Tango which feels like a Black Sabbath/ ZZ Top collaboration in places.
Bringing in the second part of the album with sweeping atmospherics is The Day He Lied which is much needed as what follows next is for sure the album’s biggest surprise which I have to admit took me a minute to adjust as I really wasn’t expecting the brass section from guest musicians Nick Dewhurst and Chris Bebee Aldridge but the addition of the saxophone and trumpet with the subtle signature of the band behind The Seventh Darkness certainly leaves a lasting impression that is certainly unforgettable.
Another emotive offering follows for the aptly named Broken City before the album culminates with the combination of I Wanna Live which has a wonderful wave of nostalgia behind it before the album ends with the albums longest offering Borderline which again has some surprising touches but ultimately is one last change for the band to showcase what has overall been an absolute joy on the senses, the solos are really nicely placed for that added rock royalty flair.
As I mentioned earlier if there is one thing, I am guilty of it’s not giving Magnum the time they deserve for me to fully go back into their discography and with something as well put together it’s as Here Comes The Rain it’s not something that I am going to let lapse moving into the new year as I’ve already found myself coming back to this album already.
