When composer/keyboard player Nick Magnus launches new work upon his loyal fan base and indeed the world in general it is to be greeted with the respect that Mr Magnus has earned over the years. Nick earned his spurs as a touring keyboard player for The Enid and the legendary Steve Hackett before embarking on a solo recording career. Nick Magnus has to his credit a fine musical CV, working with some of the finest musicians in the country assisting him to forge his own unique sonic signature. Having recorded six albums of varying themes and subject matter Nick is about to release his seventh on September 16th September 2024. A Strange Inheritance is a tale set on the high seas regaling tales of love, loss and revenge. The story behind this collection of finely crafted music and songs can be read in the quality 16 page booklet allowing some clarity and understanding behind the intriguing lyrical content of the seven songs and appreciation of Four Winds, the only instrumental piece on the album. The supporting cast of this epic are all seasoned performers and their contributions throughout A Strange Inheritance add to the usual broad musical pallet used by Nick Magnus on all of his previous albums.
The album begins with a prologue Dick Foster using the spoken word to fully set the scene with a backdrop of a horse and carriage being driven over a cobbled street. His word perfect diction and mellow speaking voice inspires you to rock back in your chair before the music eventually begins in earnest. An Almost Silent Witness is without doubt a great scene setter with an almost BBC period drama vibe at the outset. This however, changes at just over a minute in when guitar legend Steve Hackett adds a dark and sinister harmonica to the mix. Nick Magnus not only plays keyboards throughout A Strange Inheritance, he adds his vocals too. I could almost smell the salt sea air such is the quality of the production creating vivid imagery. Seagull and accordion sounds firmly place the breezy feelings of the high seas in your mind’s eye before moving on to the eery beginnings of Blood Money. Here the more assertive tones of singer Tony Patterson are bolstered by more traditional Prog keyboard sounds like organ and Mellotron. There is also a rather fine 12 string nylon guitar break by John Greenwood highlighting the care and attention Nick Magnus has taken to include instruments and textures that represent the mood and elements of the story.
The main character in the pirate’s tale is a young woman called Philadelphia and her plight is conveyed in the song of the same name. Along with the following song At Sea At Night Nick steers the ship alone (pun intended) delivering both vocal and instrumental textures himself in a solemn and soothing way. As if this wasn’t enough to showcase the talents of Mr Magnus then the following epic piece of orchestration certainly does. Four Winds in my humble opinion is up there with anything that composers like Hans Zimmer et al have written and recorded for Hollywood blockbusters. Listening to A Strange Inheritance as a whole demonstrates the complexity, poise and intensity in which Mr Magnus captures the whole feeling of an orchestra. This is down to striking attention to detail and painstakingly piecing together the musical threads and structure that make the music flow. Four Winds is without doubt one of the highlights of the album.
Moving away from the scale of such instrumental excellence, Welcome To The Island benefits from the fresh singing voice of Ginger Bennett although I do have to confess that on first hearing this song I was convinced that ex Yes singer Jon Anderson had been drafted in for a little extra kudos. I even checked the credits in the booklet notes I was so sure it was he. From the get go this song sounds a little more American in nature to the rest of the compositions here which is no bad thing and in a way quite uplifting. There are elements of jazz fusion albeit small ones that instantly appealed to me. Black And Scarlet finds singer Tony Patterson performing a second time and on this occasion he is joined by Andy Neve and Louise Young with Nick himself on backing vocals. The melange as a whole seems to give Tony Patterson’s voice a more gentle and softer presentation. Anyone who may be familiar with Steve Hackett’s guitar technique may be fooled into thinking he made an appearance here. Alas he did not! Its all Mr M. The nautical accordion sound here too sets the scene on the high seas once more.
And so to the very last song of the album and in my view the most beautiful. To Whom It May Concern Features the voice of Louise Young who featured on Nick’s last album Catharsis too. There is a serenity in Louise Young’s voice that brings calm which may have been intentional as Philadelphia’s tale is brought to an end. Whilst listening to this song you have to remind yourself that no saxophonists or flautists were employed, further testament to the sheer talent of the main man here. I feel that A Strange Inheritance differs from the too often pigeon holed concept album where the subject matter may be merely hinted at or warrants further investigation to fully understand their meanings. Here there is good old fashioned story telling in much the same way as a play. This could easily be adapted for the West End or Broadway in my view. A Strange Inheritance has a majesty about it and despite some of the darker elements of the story has joy and hope about it. Sheer brilliance.
CD £12.99 + postage and packaging. Available now for pre-order at www.magnus-music.com
