Magnus, Nick - Straight On Till Morning


Year of Release: 1993
Label: Voiceprint
Catalog Number: VP 142 CD
Format: CD
Total Time: 43:08:00

If you ever saw Nick Magnus at work alongside Steve Hackett you know what a great talent and person he is. Sadly enough, he always had to live in the shadow of the ex-Genesis star because guitar was what it was all about at the time. However, the craftsmanship of Magnus was soon discovered by other well-respected names in the business. That's why you could see and hear Nick alongside Brian May, Chris Rea, China Crisis and The Enid, whilst he enjoyed chart success with his own Project D.

Next to numerous TV and film scores, Nick finally found time in 1993 to record a solo album. Through the diversity and the purity of the sound you can clearly hear that Nick has been able to draw from material from over a long period. It has become a long trip through a landscape of deep emotions, love, hate and passion. Opening track "Lac Lucerne" gives you a clue where the other 45' will take you: classical melodies brought to you on a colourful palette of sounds, nicely balanced like Nick's very own soft character.

As a demonstrator for Roland, Magnus obviously has the advantage of working with the newest equipment and sounds. "The City And The Stars" perfectly illustrates the endless possibilities of the new sound modules without being a pedestrian demo for some new Roland product. "Walkabout" swims further on an ethnic rhythm without being world music. Magnus certainly is an ace arranger, which he proves by means of the splendid string sections in "Will I Dream" and "Miranda". The latter also boasts the magnificent oboe of one Anthony Freer. I remember when Nick was touring with Steve Hackett during his Spectral Mornings tour, that I asked him how he put his string sections together, as they sounded like the real thing. He sent me a very detailed technical description of how he tried to emulate that sound by using various layers of synths. Also Robert John Godfrey of The Enid once told me you could only get as close to an original symphonic orchestra if you approached different keyboards, each playing a specific range of instruments such as cello, violin, choir. Only then could you get as close to the original sound as possible. Having been a member of The Enid, maybe that's where Nick learned all of this and used it to his own perfection later on.

Whilst the almost skinhead-look of Nick Magnus is by no means representative of his work, I can without any doubt recommend this masterpiece to every lover of "beautiful" music.


Tracklisting:
Lac Lucerne / On The Piste / The City And The Stars / Night Of The Condor / Campus Fugit / Straight On Till Morning / Walkabout / Europa / Will I Dream ? / Miranda / Metropolis / Larc Lucerne (Orchestral Version)

Musicians:
Nick Magnus - all keyboards and arrangements

Guests:

Jay Stapley - guitar
Anthony Freer - cor anglais

Discography:
Straight On Till Morning (1993)
Inhaling Green (1999)
Hexameron (2004)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: July 11th 2001
Reviewer: John "Bobo" Bollenberg

Artist website: www.magnus-music.com
Hits: 2834
Language: english

  

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