(Neo-Prog) Magenta - Chameleon - 2011, APE (image+.cue), lossless

Three years since their last studio album and 18 months on from their last gig Magenta return with their fifth album, Chameleon, which promises a temporary change of direction prior to the release of a more symphonic album later in 2012. The core of the band remains Christina Booth (vocals), Chris Fry (guitar) and main man Rob Reed (keys/bass/guitar) with drums from Kieran Bailey and Martin Rosser’s additional guitar on two tracks.
The first thing to notice about Chameleon is the stripped down sound, very different to the layered approach of their earlier albums. Most of the songs are short and punchy, alternating through the track list between up-tempo numbers and more thoughtful songs that cover many emotions and settings. With Tina providing all of the lyrics for the first time the songs have a different spin which is interesting but overall I think the earlier material is more focused and self-contained giving the albums a sense of whole. Here it is more a collection of good songs, most of which should work well in a live setting embedded into the bands set as evidenced by Glitterball and Guernica in the recent Summer’s End set. The simpler and harder style may have taken its cue from the Metamorphosis writing sessions but the decision to record it over a much shorter period than their usual way of working in order to maintain the rawness and energy takes the material somewhere new.
The aforementioned Glitterball makes for a bouncy and forthright opener, Reed’s keys picking up the pace into a moody chorus and Fry’s guitar showing the usual nods to Steve Howe, particularly during the instrumental mid-section. With a fuller sound this could have come from Metamorphosis but overall it is a more straight ahead Magenta than of old. From the outset and throughout the album acoustic guitar is prevalent varying the textures nicely.
The mood changes for the string intro to Guernica, more serious and wistful prior to the jolting launch into the more bombastic pace of the track proper. The basic guitar/keys/drums set-up is clear here with fewer embellishments than you might expect, acoustic guitar again adding colour. Tina’s voice has lost none of its power and character and as always she puts her stamp on the material from the start and this is a fine track that shows the effectiveness of the new approach the band has taken.
The rockier Breathe is built on Fry’s guitar with additional Yes influences to start and effective multi-tracked vocals but also includes an acoustic section and a brief Reed solo managing to pack a great deal into a short period of time. Turn The Tide slows things down making for a more relaxed interlude focusing on Tina, the languid nature reminiscent of an ocean swell. Once again Fry’s weapon of choice is acoustic for much of this track but there is an extended electric solo towards the end. I’m not sure if the keyboard sound choices work that well but overall this is a good track and very different from what has preceded it while remaining clearly Magenta.
Book Of Dreams is arguably the best track on Chameleon, a low-key intro bursting out on typically mirrored guitar and keys with an effective drum pattern that pulls the track in an interesting direction while some of the elements remind me of recent Big Big Train. The chorus soars and Fry contributes a perfectly weighted solo while piano and choral vocals show another dimension in the mid-section. Tina emerges backed by acoustic guitar to launch back into the track to finish. Lovely stuff.
The importance of the acoustic guitar to this period of Magenta’s development is evidenced by the inclusion of a Fry solo piece, Reflections, that clearly demonstrates his facility with the instrument. The polar opposite of this comes in the form of Raw which, as the title suggests, is abrasive; a tale of sexual politics with hard-edged guitar and driving rhythm. Tina’s voice bristles with emotion on this track that is indicative of the change of direction.
The Beginning Of The End is all about guitar textures; angular to start, smoother and then plucked with a Howe influenced solo later on. The song itself has a chorus to die for and string support to the verses, very catchy and sure to be a favourite. Finally Red, the longest track by far, opens with a cool sampled guitar effect and thoughtful vocal before becoming a quite straightforward number and, despite the swelling build to a couple of peaks, proves a bit of a letdown to close the album as it just goes on too long.
The much vaunted hard-edge is not present throughout and there are still elements of the traditional Magenta sound although it is more sparse and stripped back. By alternating rockers with more serious or emotional tracks the momentum is maintained while performances throughout are all very good. However, there appears to be something lacking that makes it less exciting as an album than some of their earlier releases. The symphonic sound is all but gone replaced by, on the face of it, simpler songs which although not a bad thing in itself leaves the material sounding somehow “smaller”.
Chameleon is well named as it shows the versatility of a band who have received a positive kick back into action via the freshness of this material and the new facet it offers them. There is no doubt that Magenta feel that this is the right course for them to be currently following but in the long run I am looking forward to hearing new material more akin to their previous releases, possibly with the inclusion of some of the elements featured here as although this is solid contemporary rock with a pop edge it overall lacks the bite and thrills of Magenta at their best. Nevertheless it is great to have them back.

Christina Booth - vocals
Chris Fry - guitars
Rob Reed - keyboards, bass and guitars
with
Kieran Bailey - drums
Martin Rosser - additional guitars (#3,7)