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I have a thing for good female singers and they don't get any better than Magentas Christina Booth. Not since the first time I heard Ian Gillan doing Child in Time have I come across a singer who can send shivers down my spine like she can.
This is a true concept album, based around the seven deadly sins, where each of the seven tracks depicts a different sin. The tracks however are not interlinked and stand alone in their own right.
The album opens with Gluttony, and as with 5 of the other tracks clocks in at over ten minutes. (The exception being Anger, which clocks in at 5 minutes.) This opens with a slow acoustic leading into a wonderful almost a Capella before Christina comes in. The track builds with the guitar and synth playing around each other, first one then the other taking the lead. The middle bridge slows down with some lovely orchestral work working alongside the piano and synth themes, before a measured guitar then piano solo leads back into the main theme again.
Envy comes up next, with a slow start, and an almost Genesis feel to it. Christina’s voice here is achingly beautiful, almost crystalline on the chorus hook. Again the middle section throws up a different tempo with a slow acoustic section complemented with some almost ethereal synths from Rob Reed, before the orchestra comes back in, leading the main theme to a climax.
Lust is next, opening with a quick strings arrangement from the orchestra before the guitar bursts through. It's a very playful track, with first one theme on one instrument taking the lead, before something else comes in. I'm convinced there are some tubular bells in there as well. A slower section comes in with a beautifully restrained guitar solo before the synths burst in. Following the confession section the instruments really are given their heads, with the synth and guitar playing around and lifting each other to a sparkling rise, before dropping down the tempo again with Christina’s vocal finale amongst the most wonderful vocals I've heard.
Greed follows, the longest track on the album. It opens with a vocal chorus leading into some inspired guitar before the instruments drop back to allow the vocals to come through. This is a beautifully flowing track, with a judicious use of the orchestra merely adding to the instrumentation.
Following the longest track, comes the shortest, Anger. Starting off with a slow gentle acoustic, this is almost the sort of track Steeleye Span or Blackmores Night would wish they had written. There's a folky prog feeling to it with a gentle orchestration at the back in a very refined and sympathetic accompaniment.
Pride follows, but no falls here. An intelligent synth intro leading into a wordless vocal segment from Christina, which has echoes of Kate Bush throughout. The track builds up with a stunning bass line, leading into some interesting multi tracked vocals. There's another amazing synth and guitar duel before the track climaxes with the vocals synth and guitar all dancing around each other.
The Album finishes with Sloth. Again the orchestra comes in, opening up with a slow measured build before the piano takes over with the vocals. On an album of stand out tracks, this is the jewel in the crown. Christina is outstanding going from high to low pitch effortlessly. The track builds, and drops with the band and orchestra taking and releasing control in turn before one of the most liquid of guitar solos.
This is an album every self respecting prog fan should have listened to, if not owned. Rob Reed in masterful on the keyboards, Chris Fry and Martin Rosser are immaculate on guitar with some wonderful solos, while at the same time being able to retain the band sound. The orchestra is used the way it should be, sympathetically to enhance and contrast the band. In Christina you've got the finest female vocalist I've ever heard.
Buy this album.
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