On a Storyteller's Night [EXTRA TRACKS] [IMPORT] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]

Magnum

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 18, 2005)
• Original Release Date: May 31, 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Extra tracks, Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Castle Music UK
• ASIN: B0007W0KKG
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #121,156 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Remastered and expanded 20th anniversary edition of the Birmingham Pomp-rockers, definitive studio album. adds 7 previously unreleased demo versions and a 25-minute interview with the band members, Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin. Castle Music. 2005.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars One more time with demos, February 24, 2009

By	Paul Lawrence "'EJL'" (Australia) - See all my reviews

Yeah yeah outside of the UK and pockets of Europe this mob have never really garnered much acclaim. And probably understandably so with their music not being heavy enough for the diehard rivetheads and yet never commercial enough to become MTV darlings. But I always recalled an article in Metal Hammer magazine at the end of the 80's detailing their picks for the best albums of the decade and this was there. Further, you just kept on hearing the name as an insiders tip. So after picking up a double CD best of called Spirit I eventually took the bait and bought this expanded edition of what the bands hard core fans would tell you is a classic of pomp rock.

And perhaps it was the fact that I listened to it for the first time on a run through the Australian outback where I was able to listen to it from end to end as I trundled down the highway but I started finding not only the ruggedly beautiful landscape opening up before me but also the album. While I didn't have much time for How Far Jerusalem, the albums opener, most of the rest of the songs seemed to have something about them. Not complicated things, simple things, aspects that made the whole album more than the sum of it's parts. Whether it's Bob Catleys fine voice or the solid music behind him - graced as it is with Tony Clarkins judicious use of guitar textures that add just enough heft to haul you off to the party - this album is sprinkled with songs that work.

Of course its not all good news here, the pomp rock could really use a bit more kick in places to provide more peaks and valleys to the journey and there are rather more keyboards on display than are really needed and sure, the music doesn't necessarily match the rather fetching cover artwork which looks like something Helloween or early Blind Guardian would approve of, but these aren't fatal problems.

All up this refurbished look at one of Magnums more successful albums is a handy thing for any rocker to have in his collection. And just before I finish up let me impart a few thoughts on the second disc: it's mostly just for anoraks. There are a number of demo version of the songs and while they do certainly differ from the finished product I'm not sure what type of fan gets much out of these sorts of things. I mean the finished album is the finished album OK, who wants to hear diluted versions of the songs? Not to mention putting two versions of Come On Young Love one after the other makes you want to throw your stereo at the wall given the relentless use of the title as a lyric and the final track is almost 25 minutes of interview - that was done in 1993 and has nothing specific to do with this re-release at all!

But don't let me being critical of the second disc fool you, I stand by my four stars and my assertion that this is a good album to have in your collection even for fans who normally prefer a more chains 'n' leather approach just so they can broaden their rockin' horizons and find out what some of the (hushed) fuss was about.

5.0 out of 5 stars MAGNUM AT THEIR BEST, November 10, 2006

By	Christina James "ROCK OF AGES" (CHESHIRE UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST ALBUM EVER MADE BY MAGNUM.HEAVY BASS AND DRUM LINES,FANTASTIC GUITAR WORK, COUPLED WITH BRILLIANT VOCALS AND SOUL SEARCHING LYRICS. AS FAR AS MELODIC ROCK WITH A PUNCH GOES, IT DONT GET BETTER THAN THIS.