Magic Hour [Import]

Cast | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 29, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polygram Int'l
• ASIN: B00000IWQD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,725 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Beat Mama

2. Compared To You

3. She Falls

4. Dreamer

5. Magic Hour

6. Company Man

7. Alien

8. Higher

9. Chasing The Day

10. The Feeling Remains

11. Burn The Light

12. Hideaway

Editorial Reviews

Ori Release '99. Third album by this popular Britpop band fronted by former La's member John Power. 12 trax.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Dave Clark Five and Mersey Beats meet Oasis, March 29, 2002

By 

Ofeliawotsits (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Hour (Audio CD)

I rate this LP up along with Echobelly's "ON", as a CD I can play from start to finish (almost) and love every track (almost). The slight duds are tracks 10 and 11, but they are more than made up for by every other track on the album. "Beat Mama" is just fantastic, and made a brilliant single which, at the time, sounded totally fresh and unlike anything else around. To me they sound Dave Clark Five-ish, and yes Beatle-ish too with Oasis melody and power. Powers has that fab sharp edged rasp to his voice so typical of the Liverpool area. The most striking and wonderful thing about these songs is that, just for a change, Powers can come up with a great melody - something that hooks you and you end up singing all day. Some melodies sound faintly reminiscent of 60's songs, but not close enough to pin down. Every song has some hook you can latch on to, and for me that's great music, and Powers shows an individual rare talent. Without doubt my favourite track is Alien, with Hideaway coming second. The beginning to Alien will rate as one of my all time greatest beginnings to songs "of all time". The guitar is so dramatic and yet understated. To some it may sound morbid, and the chorus line is a little repetitive, but the overall impression of the song is one of strong stirring emotion, and there is even a string section to add a real majestic and powerful quality. Powers's beginning vocals are superb and evocative. Alien reminds me, I guess, of the equally dramatic "Dark Therapy" on Echobelly's "On". "Hideaway" has a similarly dramatic but more powerful beginning and a fabulous high vocal from Powers. The melody jumps up and down the range in a way that surprises and keeps you guessing at where it's going next. Superb off-note chords traverse up and down the scale always ending on warm resonating notes that make you feel so good. The song builds to a high string backed crescendo and then marches off into the distance carrying you, spirits raised, and joyous up through the clouds and into the clear blue sky

5.0 out of 5 stars AB FAB, September 26, 2000

By 

reviewer "spylo" (NY) - See all my reviews

ok this band totally rocks. Remind me of an Oasis mixed with The Verve with a touch of the La's. Yes good stuff. You must buy this if you're a fan of the bands I just mentioned. You won't be dissapointed. Simply Good British Rock. They throw strings in this album which gives it a full beautiful but rock sound. A definite buy.

3.0 out of 5 stars Cast Power back., July 12, 2000

By 

David Groves (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magic Hour (Audio CD)

A return to traditional territory for Cast which shows thatthey are as good as anybody around at writing great tunes. Thefantastic 'Beat Mama' has all the elements that were missing from Cast's last album 'Mother Nature Calls'. A great Brit-Pop tune. The satisfactory 'Compared To You' is followed by 'She Falls' which threatens to be a great song but is let down by the "She Falls..." refrain. The spirited Beatlesque 'Dreamer', is classic Cast and this time is backed up by a great rock middle-eight. A perfect example of timeless Liverpudlian melodic rock. 'Magic Hour' sees a change of pace and again suffers from a weak melody that plagued the previous album. The twee orchestral backing just adds to this sugary sweet song that bores after a few listenings. The average rock tune 'Company Man' sees John Power venting his anger over corprate Britain and is perhaps the right song to put before one of the album highlights 'Alien'. A beautiful song that can't help move you, though makes you which that the "Taking Over The World..." refrain could have been stronger and more fitting of its wide, emotive feel. The rocky 'Higher' again brings you back to Cast's debut album 'All Change' (though it must be said that the production is of higher quality throughout this album, due to more input from the band itself). It does suffer from making the song 2 minutes too long, something their pals Oasis are rightly criticised for. This is followed by the substandard 'Chasing The Day' which is simply not interesting enough to warrant a place on the LP, and possibly the same could be said for the repetitive average rocker 'The Feeling Remains'. 'Burn The Light' is a return to form giving Liam Tyson the chance to show his prowess on guitar over another killer Power tune. The album ends with a traditional Cast epic. This time it allows the string orchesra to shine over a basic melody. A more solid album from the Liverpool four-piece but they still need to break away from the routine melodies and chord changes to produce a great album and be worthy of a place in the same bracket as British bands like Blur, Oasis or Radiohead.