Born in the early 70s as a cover band, released a handful of grandiose fantasy themed discs with a very 70-ish rock flavor, then re-inventing themselves in the 80s as an
AOR styled band with outside influences, and finally dying a slow death in the mid 90s,
Magnum struggled through all three decades, sometimes on the fringe of success, but more often far from it. Songwriter/guitarist Tony Clarkin and vocalist
Bob Catley finally flew from the coop and into Hard Rain, with Catley taking flight a third time as a solo artist (with heavy help from the staggeringly talented Gary Hughes), but
Magnum's legacy is still left behind, and what a fine one it is.
Sandwiched inbetween what the majority believes is their best two albums, "On A Storyteller's Night" and "Wings of Heaven", "Vigilante" is usually lost in the shuffle and shoved to the side. It was a landmark disc for them in many ways, most notably it being their major label debut, having been freshly signed to Polydor. It also saw them attempting to change with the times as was first seen on slick commercial tunes such as 'Just Like An Arrow' and 'Two Hearts' from their previous effort. 1986's "Vigilante" should have been a chart smasher, as it stayed true to what was going on in the US radio market, mainly melodic rock with a good heaping of synthesizer shoveled onto the plate. Unfortunately it didn't do very well on the charts and alienated their established fanbase.
The disc does prove that good songwriting can outlast even time itself, as Tony was apparently quite inspired while writing some of these tracks, even if they lack the fantasy imagery that
Magnum's previous releases were built around, but what is offered up here are songs emblazoned with passion (yes we're talkin' bout love), style and hooks galore even if the quality dwindles near its end. The sound was partly the result of him trying to corner a wider audience. His guitar playing takes a backseat, but that allows the flawlessly outstanding voice of
Bob Catley to shine through like beams of sunlight through a cloudy sky. Smooth as glass and sparkling twice as brightly, Catley makes other singers seem harsh and abrasive in comparison. His delivery is just so beautiful to behold, and he really nails some of these songs to perfection.
"Lonely Night"
The very first song off the bat knocks the listener senseless with 80s pop sensibilities and effects. It dates the song but still adds so much more to it. There's more synthesizer than you can shake a drumstick at and less guitar than most hard rock acts would ever add to their music even then, but somehow these little additions seem natural and add to the flow of the song. When the guitar does kick in (right upfront in the mix as if to say "pay attention to me!") it seems rather startling but not at all out of place. A nice midpaced track to get things off to a good start.
"Need A Lot of Love"
The title deceives for this is not a love song, but rather another in the line of
Magnum's popular anti-war/social commentaries that have been cropping up on their albums since the dawn of their existence. The chorus is sterling in both its stripped down and uplifted incarnations. Clarkin's guitar is subdued and sparse, besides the electric rhythm that provides the backbone for the song, even as transparent as it may seem at times. The song winds down then percussion that seems straight from the jungle crops up and the track ends abruptly here...
"Sometime Love"
...and provides an explosive opening for this one. The nagging sting of a broken heart is woven in this story which illustrates how fickle, and downright odd love can be at times, but is presented in an upbeat paced track that bursts at the seams with electronic fills that are 80s at their height of purity. This feels alot like
Foreigner, and carries a short n' snazzy guitar solo at its center, which is just not enough, so thankfully it pops back up for an encore to carry the track to its end.
"Midnight (You Won't Be Sleeping)"
The heart of melodic rock crammed into one passionate track that just oozes with class and quality all over. If this had been recorded by Foriegner or
Journey it would have without a doubt been a smash hit of the likes either band had ever seen. Yes,
"Midnight" has all the elements necessary to land a song on the charts back in 1986, a heart clinching soulful vocal performance, a pompously over-the-top chorus that absolutely rips through the heart and resonates in the mind for *days* after it has been last heard. Backed with some unusual and dramatic drumwork, more than it's fair share of keyboard fills and a trendy, yet well fitted saxophone solo to top it off, this should have been huge. Balancing the fine line of having a simple exterior, easy to pick up and listen to over and over again, yet has several layers of complexity at its core. The very best of
Magnum, squeezed into one song, and I honestly cannot imagine anyone else doing it. A song to truly be entranced by and one that standouts as part of the cream of the crop from that decade.
"I know how it feels to cry, but it's only lovers know the reason why, they stay together."
"Red On the Highway"
A superb axefilled track with powerhouse singing with the bite of Lou Gramm when he's being 'tough' and a full throttle hard rockin' pace that shoots it to the moon. Crank this one up and watch the miles tick away while flying down that highway. An extended synth solo sits in the middle nicely.
"Holy Rider"
Continuing the heavier momentum, this features some hard hitting drums and gallopy guitars. Cool and rhythmic
AOR that has a thick and heavy chorus. Interesting doesn't even begin to describe the trippiness to be found later on within this one, that completes its oddness with snake rattles, or perhaps like reptilian scales sliding across that heart of stone, and speaker bouncing effects.
"When the World Comes Down"
Electronically created pan flute trills usher in this lazily relaxed track of easy listening beauty. Just kick back and enjoy the ease and grace of this lightly capering ballad that was created with the purpose of uplifting those who are trapped in the lost world of sorrow, whether by broken heart or some other equally pain ridden reason. The pan flute, easier pacing and bubbly background synth layout are what set this apart from the rest.
"Vigilante"
Taking the laws of music into their own hands,
Magnum pounds out this rather dated ditty that hits a bit harder than most of the lighter fare on the disc. The prominent keyboards and rhythm section pump enthusiastically while bits of guitar crowd in quite often, although more subdued than tastes would like, making this feel like
King Kobra meets Adrenaline and
Foreigner at the crossroads. It is the chorus that lets this one take its own wings and drift into the catchier zones.
"Back Street Kid"
Lyrically the 'poor kid who spots a guitar and is lifted in life' is a tired and beaten concept that all rockers seem to stick to like flies to flypaper and horses to glue. Unfortunately it also sounds the closet to the yarn that Bruce Springsteen or Rick Springfield was spinning in the 80s before they both got old and jaded. Simplistic and rather American pop rock sounding, this is by far the worst track...just pretend the album ended with its namesake and leave it at that, you'll be happier for it in the end, unless you like Springsteen.
While not as magical as "On A Storyteller's Night" or as smoothly
AOR as "Wings of Heaven", "Vigilante" is seated somewhere inbetween struggling to be pieces of both plus keep its foot in the realm of commercial rock n' pop, circa 1986. The keyboard excess, along with the almost nonexistant guitar dates the album drastically along with its rather synthetic production qualities (courtesy of
Queen producer Roger Taylor) that strips
Magnum's sound of the vibrant warmth that was overflowing from their previous and prior efforts.
Some have dismissed this one as unnecessary and trite, the black sheep of the family so to speak, and sure, it has its problems, but its also true that some tasty material managed to come out of this mismatched attempt to grasp at a chart position and that sweet, sweet American success. One would be hard pressed to find a better 'hard' ballad than the fervent expectations and whispered promises of
"Midnight" or a better track to dance to than the hope fled, heart crushed sting of
"Sometime Love" which somehow manages to retain more than it's fare share of addictive hooks and swinging upbeat melodies. Yes,
"Vigilante" has much to offer, if you only dare to gaze inbetween the flops like
"Back Street Kid" or the fact that this is
Magnum in a precarious position, scrambling to embrace the future yet still keep in touch with their rich past. And if nothing else entices you, then look no further than the singer known as Bob, for he makes even the silliest lines seem like a matter of life and death. Even so, perhaps too much attention is paid to Catley, this really is Clarkin's vehicle, Catley is just riding in it. However in the end, it is Catley that makes it worth the ride.
Written by
Alanna Monday, April 9, 2007
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