Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #94554 in Music
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

LOOKS LIKE STORMY WEATHER!!!
After Goodnight L.A. there was a shake up at Polydor and Magnum would ultimately part company with the record company. Rather than sign to another big label, the band signed to heavy metal music based label, Music For Nations, stripped down their sound and recorded this little cracker.
Sleepwalking shows Magnum removing some of the frills and window dressing and just getting on with it. Tony Clarkin's songs bristle with a raw energy and the individual musicianship has probably never been at a higher level than this.
The album has a variety of different tracks, ranging from commercial numbers, hard rockers and traditional Magnum staples. As a result, it's one of the bands most genuinely entertaining records.
Too Much To Ask, You're The One, Just One More Heartbreak and the Yes-like Only In America provide that commercial appeal now expected on Magnum albums post The Eleventh Hour, and both Broken Wheel and Every Woman, Every Man are decent ballads.
For me though, the more traditional tracks shine the most here. Stormy Weather is a superbly low key album opener, The Flood sees the band coming close to musical savagery, the title track is wonderfully overblown and the moody Long Ride closes the album brilliantly.
Worth noting is Mickey Barker's drumming on this album. Anyone aspiring to be a top rock tub thumper needs to listen to his work here, especially on The Flood. He's on fantastic form right throughout the record and his general performance raises the bar for everyone else concerned.
It's also good to see Rodney Matthews providing some cover artwork after a considerable absence.
The only real complaint is that there is perhaps a song or two too many on the album. Having said that, the listener could never moan about a lack of value for money.
The band made the U.K. top thirty with Sleepwalking,which was a respectable effort, but after the top ten successes of Wings Of Heaven and Goodnight L.A., Magnum could be forgiven for feeling a little disappointed.
It wouldn't get easier for the band as they would once again find themselves being carelessly pigeonholed. This time the band would be catalogued with the kind of bands that a certain Mr. Cobain and his grunge movement would seek to eradicate. However, Magnum would continue to survive, for the time being at least.
For now though, enjoy British melodic rock at it's absolute finest. Invest at once!!!