2007 expanded deluxe digipak pressing of their 1972 album includes nine bonus tracks, 'Silver White Man' (Instrumental Version - Previously Unreleased), 'Crystal Ball' (Previously Unreleased Version), 'Gary's Song' (Outtake Previously Unreleased), 'Silver White Man' (outtake - Previously Unreleased), 'Echoes In The Dark' (Previously Unreleased), 'Proud Words' (Previously Unreleased Version From MB Sessions), 'Rain' (Previously Unreleased Version), 'Happy Birthday' (Previously Unreleased) and 'Sunrise' (Single Version).
|The second album by the “classic” line up is a natural follow on to the magnificent “Demons and Wizards”. All the elements are still in place, the Roger Dean Sleeve, the fantasy themes, and of course the great music. “Sunrise”, which became the opener for the live set, sets the scene immediately, with Byron’s first appearance being in the form of a controlled scream. The track are generally short and straight forward, with only the title track having a more complex structure. “The Magician’s Birthday” (track) picks up the fantasy theme, and weaves a tale around the battle between good and evil. This is interrupted by a lengthy guitar solo from Mick Box, accompanied only by Lee Kerslake on drums, and the occasional spooky theme from Hensley’s keyboards. The track climaxes in the battle itself, played out with stereo effects, before Byron ascends to ethereal bliss and fades. There are softer numbers on the album such as the lovely Hensley ballad “Rain”. Apparently Hensley wanted to make the final chorus much louder and more powerful, but the rest of the band pushed back. He took the opportunity to record his preferred version on his solo album “Proud words on a dusty shelf”. The tracks are generally marginally less strong than those on “Demons and Wizards” but, “The Magician’s Birthday is still a superb album with many fine moments...B. McBeath
Codec: mp3
Bitrate: 320 kB/s
Size: 168 MB
Genre : Rock
2000mustangs
Tracklist:
01. Sunrise 4.05
02. Spider Woman 2.26
03. Blind Eye 3.34
04. Echoes in the Dark 4.52
05. Rain 3.59
06. Sweet Lorraine 4.13
07. Tales 4.10
08. Magician's Birthday 10.28
09. Crystal Ball [Outtake] 4.08
10. Silver White Man [Outtake] 3.40
11. Proud Words on a Dusty Shelf [Alternate Version] 3.24
12. Echoes in the Dark [Edited Version] 4.23
13. Rain [Edited Version] 3.16
14. Happy Birthday (prev. unreleased version) 4.44
15. Sunrise [Single Edit] 2.49
16. Gary's Song [Outtake] 4.25
17. Silver White Man [Instrumental][Outtake] 3.43
Post je objavljen 13.06.2009. u 21:16 sati.