MAGAZINESECONDHAND DAYLIGHT (1979)
REMASTER
320 KBPS
You're probably not reading this unless you already know who Magazine was. If that is true and you haven't ever heard this album, there is only one thing to say: you've been waiting far too long. Get it now.
For the rest of you: Magazine was probably the first "post-punk" band, really before there even was a "post" punk. This is a brilliant, sophisticated album that stays true to the spirit of its late 70s punk roots while enormously refining and expanding that sound. Let me be clear, this most certainly isn't a "punk" record in the usual sense. It uses keyboards, textures and complex arrangements that add enormous scope to the work, yet it is never in danger of slipping into the art-rock excesses that (in part) prompted the punk explosion in the first place. Just trying to list all the bands that came after which owe a debt to this work would fill the entire review.
This is not bright and bouncy pop. If you've never heard Magazine, it may be a good idea to start with "Real Life", the group's first album. Though less coherent and powerful than Secondhand Daylight, Real Life is not as dark and has more direct, traditionally structured tunes and shows its punk roots a bit more clearly.
The musicians are all solid professionals and there are just no words to properly praise Barry Adamson's sublime bass work on this record. Howard Devoto's lyrics are incisive and powerful, albeit not gentle, and add depth and intelligence to this record. Although a few of the keyboard effects have become a bit dated, overall the album sounds quite fresh and vital and has held up as well as, if not substantially better than, any other rock music of comparable age.
I know that it may be a bit hackneyed to describe something as an "unappreciated" or "overlooked" or "undiscovered" (etc., etc.) masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it isn't a valid description. There is no final arbiter of this issue. In the end it's all just a matter of opinion and in my opinion, Secondhand Daylight is a classic.
For the rest of you: Magazine was probably the first "post-punk" band, really before there even was a "post" punk. This is a brilliant, sophisticated album that stays true to the spirit of its late 70s punk roots while enormously refining and expanding that sound. Let me be clear, this most certainly isn't a "punk" record in the usual sense. It uses keyboards, textures and complex arrangements that add enormous scope to the work, yet it is never in danger of slipping into the art-rock excesses that (in part) prompted the punk explosion in the first place. Just trying to list all the bands that came after which owe a debt to this work would fill the entire review.
This is not bright and bouncy pop. If you've never heard Magazine, it may be a good idea to start with "Real Life", the group's first album. Though less coherent and powerful than Secondhand Daylight, Real Life is not as dark and has more direct, traditionally structured tunes and shows its punk roots a bit more clearly.
The musicians are all solid professionals and there are just no words to properly praise Barry Adamson's sublime bass work on this record. Howard Devoto's lyrics are incisive and powerful, albeit not gentle, and add depth and intelligence to this record. Although a few of the keyboard effects have become a bit dated, overall the album sounds quite fresh and vital and has held up as well as, if not substantially better than, any other rock music of comparable age.
I know that it may be a bit hackneyed to describe something as an "unappreciated" or "overlooked" or "undiscovered" (etc., etc.) masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it isn't a valid description. There is no final arbiter of this issue. In the end it's all just a matter of opinion and in my opinion, Secondhand Daylight is a classic.
1. Feed the Enemy
2. Rhythm of Cruelty
3. Cut-Out Shapes
4. Talk to the Body
5. I Wanted Your Heart
6. Thin Air
7. Back to Nature
8. Believe That I Understand
9. Permafrost
Bonus Tracks
10. Give Me Everything
11. I Love You, You Dig Dummy
12. Rhythm of Cruelty (Original Single Version)
13. TV Baby
2. Rhythm of Cruelty
3. Cut-Out Shapes
4. Talk to the Body
5. I Wanted Your Heart
6. Thin Air
7. Back to Nature
8. Believe That I Understand
9. Permafrost
Bonus Tracks
10. Give Me Everything
11. I Love You, You Dig Dummy
12. Rhythm of Cruelty (Original Single Version)
13. TV Baby
5 comments:
Thank you very much
Will you also include the remastered version of "The Correct Use of Soap"?
stone cold classic!
"Correct Use of Soap" coming soon... ;)
I remember wearing out the original vinyl of this 30 years ago—it's eerie how much Radiohead was influenced by their sound, particularly on "Permafrost"...
Whoa! I've been waiting for this since you began sharing 'Magazine'-records, and it's some kind of biographic story I am connecting with this record. Owned this as an LP in 1979, played it up and down till the record was ruined during the 80s, bought it again as a second-hand occasion, lost it ... and still kept the tape I've made for listening in my car for almost 25 years.
Thank you so much for this!
Many greetings to Paris,
Lucina.
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