PAT TRAVERS — Makin' Magic (review)

PAT TRAVERS — Makin' Magic album cover Album · 1977 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Nightfly
Makin’ Magic is the second album from Pat Travers and the album that introduced me to him having first heard him on a local radio show back in 1977 when this was released. It’s notable for featuring a young Nicko McBrain who we all know would go on to join Iron Maiden a few years later.

Travers had introduced his funky hard rock style on his eponymous debut but here he really establishes it from the off with the driving title track. He shows what a great guitar player he is and McBrain drives things along with tight but loose drumming. Of special mention is Mars Cowling’s busy and to the front bass work which I always thought was integral to the Travers sound. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suzie is pretty much what you’d expect from the title, Rock ‘n’ Roll being something Travers dipped into from time to time. You Don’t Love Me was the first Travers song I owned which featured on a Sounds Magazine freebie album I had at the time – still have it to this day as far as I Know. It’s not one of the best tracks here though being a somewhat ordinary rocker. Stevie is a ballad and would become a live favourite. I never quite got what the fuss was about to be honest and found it a bit dull and dragged out at over seven minutes.

On his debut Travers had overdone the cover versions with four in total. Here there’s only one and it’s well chosen - the Blues classic Statesboro Blues. Perhaps the definitive version of this song was made by The Allman Brothers Band but Travers does it justice with a pacey and lively version making it a very worthy inclusion. Need Love is excellent – an understated piece of syncopated funk rock. Hooked On Music is a Travers classic – more funk and perhaps the best song here and a quick listen will say all you need to know why it was a live staple and often opened his set I believe. The album closes with What You Mean To Me, an instrumental with Travers tasteful guitar work augmented by fender rhodes piano, a keyboard that I’ve always enjoyed the sound of but overall its less than essential though pleasant enough.

To this day Makin’ Magic remains one of my favourite Pat Travers albums, only equalled by Heat In The Street which may just have the edge. This would make a great place to start exploring his extensive back catalogue for sure.
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666sharon666 wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Reviewer's Challenge Points: 3

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