A 30-year hiatus from the studio and Magazine return with another spiky, intransigent album that will thrill music fandom’s fringes.
No Thyself is the seminal - nay, canonised - post-punk legends’ first recorded material since 1981.
And despite lacking two original members, this still sounds more or less like vintage Magazine, albeit not quite as invigorating or coruscating.
That said, frontman Howard Devoto remains enigmatic and theatrical, particularly on The Worst Of Progress, a doom-laden prog-opera that could soundtrack a silent horror flick from the ‘20s.
The propulsive drumming and needly guitars of Holy Dotage show vigour and sideways lyricism remains, shot through with Hammond organ and shrill synth stabs; all ingredients on another stand-out, the acidic, playful death march of Final Analysis Waltz.
Still unquestionably a Marmite band, while No Thyself ‘wasn’t meant for everyone’ - as Devoto sings on Physics - Magazine remain scarily relevant.
3 stars
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