"Do the Meaning" begins with a hint of PiL's guitar swirl, its riff connecting with a keyboard-driven sound reminiscent of their standard style. A chunkier, stuttering guitar characterized the innovations of original guitarist the late John McGeoch; his successor Noko--who paired with a solo Devoto in Luxuria--remains faithful to this direction. This continues on the next track, appropriately named "Other Thematic Material".
However, Devoto's preference for a sparer, theatrical mood often slowed the pace of Magazine's albums. Here, "The Worst of Progress" follows this form. Discordant tones fill many songs by the band, even if "Hello Mister Curtis (With Apologies)" integrates piano chords that hint at George Benson's version of "On Broadway" of all tunes, at least to my ears. I am not sure if Devoto, being a Mancunian contemporary, refers to the departed singer of Joy Division here, as I have no lyric sheet but only a downloaded sound file.
Despite Devoto's mannered articulation and phrasing, "Physics" manages to be nearly a ballad by comparison with most of this album. "Religion, it wasn't meant for everyone" becomes the refrain, and no lyric sheet's needed to make that message out. "Happening in English" fits into a typical early-1980s style for the band, with some nods to a more tribal percussion from that era's John Doyle, who returns on drums.
Dave Formula, their loyal keyboardist, contributes the most to keeping this reunion record close to its predecessors. He joins with Noko's lively guitar and new recruit (although the talents of original member Barry Adamson are missed) Jon "Stan" White on bass for "Holy Dotage" as the CD's punchiest song.
The noir shuffle of "Of Course Howard (1979)" evidently refers to some event back then, mixing a nearly spoken-word alteration of Devoto's vocal registers into a menacing entry. Yet, as with other such Magazine tracks in the band's career, this plods along and drags down the album's trajectory. Their albums always stop and go, hurry and dawdle, and true to this erratic form, after thirty years, this one follows suit.
"Final Analysis Waltz" by its title may anticipate this judgment. Despite a jerky guitar with lilting piano and bass interplay that gave many of the band's songs their distinctive sonic stamp, this fails to keep a listener's interest for almost five minutes. "The Burden of a Song" again appears well-chosen as a name, for this fights against the ennui incorporated into its title by a welcome brush with a snappier melody, if in shards.
Tired and battered, the breakdown of "Blisterpack Blues" reminds me of the band's nearly unrecognizable, crawling, collapsing cover version of Sly Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"; it drags down the album to its close. The willful direction-as-misdirection of this solid, if unspectacular by earlier standards for this creative band, record typifies their refusal to conform to expectations. Unless they are those of any listener fond of this Manchester-based quintet, who from their first single, "Shot by Both Sides" in 1978, never could fit into any mold except the ones they broke and melted and remade. (Amazon US & Published to PopMatters 11-21-11)
(P.S. Blame no liner notes or line-up ones on the bare download provided me but credit to Rosalie Cunningham for backing vocals--I always liked one Maria Teresa who did the same for the final Magazine LP and Devoto's one solo record, half-great, half-not, the aptly titled Jerky Versions of the Dream--see my review!)
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