Magician's Birthday [Original recording reissued]

Uriah Heep | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Island / Mercury
• ASIN: B000001F45
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,913 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

1996 remastered reissue from Castle of the band's 1972 albumwith two previously unreleased bonus tracks: 'Silver WhiteMan' (Version) and 'Crystal Ball'. 10 tracks total. This wastheir last album for Mercury in the U.S. before signing onto Warner Brothers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A first-rate follow up to an all-time classic, January 9, 2004

By 

psychedelephant "psychedelephant" (Staten Island, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magician's Birthday (Audio CD)

The follow-up album to "Demons and Wizards", recorded in the same year, and while still touring constantly (a grueling pace that was to lead to problems down the road for many of the members), this album maintains the quality of its legendary predecessor.

"Rain" is a beautiful ballad, delivered perfectly and subtly by the now sadly overlooked David Byron, one of the greatest singers in rock history (all of Byron's works should be required listening for modern vocalists, he was a master of dynamics, an art that has been sadly lost in recent years). "Sweet Lorraine" is incredibly catchy ear candy, and was the radio standard from the album. "Tales", "Blind Eye" and "Echoes In The Dark" are moody, mystical, ominous, and emotionally moving, with Byron's vocal performance particularly shining on them as well. "Spider Woman" is a bit of a throw-away, but plenty of fun, with some excellent slide guitar work from Ken Hensley.

Which leaves the album's opening and closing tracks: "Sunrise", the opener, was the first Heep song I ever heard, and led me to become a lifelong fan; the group's trademark vocal harmonies have possibly never been so well displayed as on this song, which became a long-time concert opener. The title track, which closes the album, is an epic, multi-sectional tour-de-force, with an excellent, blistering, extended guitar and drum duet by Mick Box and Lee Kerslake in the middle, and some amazing vocals from both the aforementioned Mssrs. Byron and Hensley. A more than worthy successor to "Demons and Wizards", and a must-have album for Heepsters or classic rock fans in general.

Oh, and for the few obnoxious reviewers of this album who felt the need to compare it derisively to Spinal Tap for the fantasy-oriented lyrics, I have two observations:

1) It was recorded in 1972, when virtually *every* British band, including the universally acknowledged gods of Heavy Metal, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, were visiting various fantasy realms lyrically on virtually every song. To continue to slag Uriah Heep for being a product of their time in that respect, especially when similar bands who were doing exactly the same thing (and were similarly villified for it at the time) are now regarded as geniuses, is just petty and mean-spirited. Personally, I find the fantasy themes charming, in a Tolkienesque way. YMMV.

2) For all the deliberate silliness of their lyrics, Spinal Tap is an excellent band from a musical standpoint: Guest, McKean, and Shearer are all extremely proficient at their respective instruments, and their compositional skills are top-notch, so comparing bands to them is not quite as insulting as musically clueless would-be critics might think.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazon track listing incorrect for this release!!, March 8, 2007

By 

Erik De Jonge - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magician's Birthday (Audio CD)

Amazon did not update the extra tracks that are available on this 2004 Sanctuary update Re-mastered version of this classic, so here is the correct title listing:
1. Sunrise
2. Spider Woman
3. Blind Eye
4. Echoes in the Dark
5. Rain
6. Sweet Lorraine
7. Tales
8. Magician's Birthday
9. Crystal Ball [#][*][Outtake]
10. Silver White Man [#][*][Outtake]
11. Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf [Alternate Version][#][*]
12. Echoes in the Dark [Edited Version][#][*]
13. Rain [Edited Version][#][*]
14. Happy Birthday [#][*]
15. Sunrise [Single Edit][#][*]
16. Gary's Song [#][*][Outtake]
17. Silver White Man [*][Instrumental][Outtake]

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CLASSIC ALBUM WITH A CLASSIC COVER, October 9, 2003

By 

Christopher A. Richards "kohntarkosz" (Somewhere Over The Rainbow) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magician's Birthday (Audio CD)

This album is one of the all time greats. Uriah Heep are a much underrated band, mainly remembered in the US for one or two hits (ie Stealin' and Easy Livin') and for being one of the apparent main inspirations for Spinal Tap. But during the early 70's, they were one of the finest bands around. David Byron was one of the best rock vocalists EVER, second only to Freddie Mercury, while Mick Box cranked riffs and technically simply but effective solos. Ken Hensley played keyboards, played some of the more impressive guitar parts and also contributed a great deal of excellent songwriting to the band's repetoire. And Gary Thain and Lee Kerslake were one of the most solid rhythm sections around, combining Thain's melodic bass playing with Kerslake's workmanlike drumming. Oh, and everyone sang back up vocals (lest you should wonder where the great vocal harmonies on the record came from).

Every song on this record is a winner, from the opener Sunrise to the 10 minute title track finale. In between, a diverse array of tunes are encountered, from the hard rockin' boogie of Sweet Lorraine to the ballad Rain. Even the cover artwork (by the legendary Roger Dean, who had built up a reputation for doing artwork for many bands in England over the preceding few years, and was on the verge of beginning his decades long association with progressive rock giants Yes) is brilliant.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last. Gary Thain developed a serious drug problem, which led to him nearly being electrocuted onstage a few years later. He was kicked out of the band, and died of an overdose in 77. David Byron last two more albums, but was also booted from the group, for drinking too much. He went onto release a couple solo albums before dying in 1984. In 1980, Hensley left on his own accord, after disputes with John Sloman, the singer who had replaced John Lawton (who himself had replaced Byron). Without Byron's voice, Thain's bass, or Hensley's songwriting (and admittedly, Hensley seemed to run out of quality material a cuople albums before he left) Heep was never the same. Rest assured, we still have the classic early 70's albums.

My only caveat is that you get the mid 90's remaster (on Essential/Castle Recordings), which has two bonus tracks. One is a vocal track that never got finished, so it's presented as a rather dull karoake-style instrumental. The other bonus track, Crystal Ball, which is the only song credited solely to Gary Thain as a songwriter. It's a rough recording, with apparently just a guide vocal, but it's a good song, one worth hearing, especially in light of Gary's tragic demise.

Oh yeah, and the infamous Melissa Mills quote actually was "If this band makes it, I'll have to commit suicide".