Uriah Heep Album: “Magician's Birthday [Essential!]”

This album is one of the all time greats. Uriah Heep are a much underrated band, mainly remembered in the US for one or two hits (ie Stealin' and Easy Livin') and for being one of the apparent main inspirations for Spinal Tap. But during the early 70's, they were one of the finest bands around. David Byron was one of the best rock vocalists EVER, second only to Freddie Mercury, while Mick Box cranked riffs and technically simply but effective solos. Ken Hensley played keyboards, played some of the more impressive guitar parts and also contributed a great deal of excellent songwriting to the band's repetoire. And Gary Thain and Lee Kerslake were one of the most solid rhythm sections around, combining Thain's melodic bass playing with Kerslake's workmanlike drumming. Oh, and everyone sang back up vocals (lest you should wonder where the great vocal harmonies on the record came from).

Every song on this record is a winner, from the opener Sunrise to the 10 minute title track finale. In between, a diverse array of tunes are encountered, from the hard rockin' boogie of Sweet Lorraine to the ballad Rain. Even the cover artwork (by the legendary Roger Dean, who had built up a reputation for doing artwork for many bands in England over the preceding few years, and was on the verge of beginning his decades long association with progressive rock giants Yes) is brilliant.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last. Gary Thain developed a serious drug problem, which led to him nearly being electrocuted onstage a few years later. He was kicked out of the band, and died of an overdose in 77. David Byron last two more albums, but was also booted from the group, for drinking too much. He went onto release a couple solo albums before dying in 1984. In 1980, Hensley left on his own accord, after disputes with John Sloman, the singer who had replaced John Lawton (who himself had replaced Byron). Without Byron's voice, Thain's bass, or Hensley's songwriting (and admittedly, Hensley seemed to run out of quality material a cuople albums before he left) Heep was never the same. Rest assured, we still have the classic early 70's albums.

My only caveat is that you get the mid 90's remaster (on Essential/Castle Recordings), which has two bonus tracks. One is a vocal track that never got finished, so it's presented as a rather dull karoake-style instrumental. The other bonus track, Crystal Ball, which is the only song credited solely to Gary Thain as a songwriter. It's a rough recording, with apparently just a guide vocal, but it's a good song, one worth hearing, especially in light of Gary's tragic demise.

Oh yeah, and the infamous Melissa Mills quote actually was "If this band makes it, I'll have to commit suicide".

"The Magician's Birthday" was the second Heep album by the classical line-up featuring Hensley, Byron, Box, Thain and Kerslake. It was also the second album with a Roger Dean cover. And moreover, it was the second album the band released in 1972.

After a long 1972 tour Uriah Heep were rushed back into the Lansdowne studios to record a follow-up to their break-through and much acclaimed album "Demons and Wizzards".

As Hensley states in the notes, they felt that were never really given the time it took to record the album, which was originally planned to be a "complete" concept album. Though it may have been rushed it nearly matches its great predecessor. The band, and especially Hensley as a songwriter, were at the peak of their creativity and many of these songs have become classics and favourites. The extensive list of bonus-tracks clearly illustrates what a great period this was for the band. Unfortunately the hard work took its toll on some of the band-members; but that's another story.

The first track, Hensley's dramatic "Sunrise", is the perfect opener, with great lead and harmony vocals.

Another highlight is the melodic rocker "Blind Eye", driven by acoustic guitars and featuring a nice twin-guitar theme; also a Ken Hensley song.

Two songs released as single A-sides were "Spider Woman" (Europe) and "Sweet Lorraine" ( America), and where the first is a rather traditional heavy-rocker, "Sweet Lorraine" has all it takes to become a classic. Great whining riff, fine breaks and a catchy chorus. Simply one of the most memorable Heep recordings; written by Box, Byron and Thain.

As the most versatile songwriter in the band Hensley also demonstrates a talent for writing melodic ballads such as "Echoes in the Dark" and the quiet piano accompanied "Rain" with great lead vocals.

"Tales" is the closest the band get to playing folk-rock on the record; another fine recording.

Though the title track has its moments, it somehow feels too longwinded with its ten and a half minutes playing time.

Among the bonus-tracks Gary Thain's "Crystal Ball" is a nice surprise; sad that his constitution was strong enough to take the strain of heavy touring etc.

Though not quite as consistent as "Demons and Wizzards" still one of Heep's finest albums.

THE MAGICIAN'S BIRTHDAY is a great Uriah Heep album. It's standouts are "Sunrise" and "Sweet Lorraine", but the other songs should not be counted out, either. The group would make one more great album, SWEET FREEDOM, before problems with bassist Gary Thain would derail them musically and commercially. Here, though, it looks as if they could go on forever.

The songs are classic masterpiece in their 70's hey day, check out them like demon's and wizard, Sweet lorraine, kiss of the spider woman, sweet lorraine, stealing, gypsy etc......what a goldies collection it is!

this band is also good as Led Zeppelin, Purple, Black Sabbath in the 70's rock classic era. Long time ago the American journalist at the rolling stone Melissa Mills said that I will rather to commit suicide than listening to this band. Yes Melissa Mills was a fool poor journalist,....she didn't know how good this band is!

In fact that URIAH HEEP sold out their albums/recordings worldwide 30 million albums !! well you know this now,....Is Uriah heep still a bad group ??? you should answer it by your selves! This band is a goldies!

One of the best albums from the early 70s/late 60s, back when hard rock and progressive rock were together forming an offshoot - along with influences from classical, eastern music (see Led Zeppelin), heavy blues and eclectic jazz (see Judas Priest's first album, "Rocka Rolla") and a host of other musicforms - to come up with heavy metal. Uriah Heep isn't really considered metal but 'protometal', but it's close enough to appeal to metal fans as well as fans of the late 60s/early 70s sound, hard rock & progressive rock, and quality eclectic music as well. This album is distinct mystical heavy rock, and a shining example of its type of music.

Uriah Heep tends to tread a lot of welcome fantasy-type ground, which is also covered here, but there are other themes here, like the vibe capturing the exhiliration of romance on "Sweet Lorraine" and the fearful doomy lyrics of "Tales". "Sunrise" is an alltime gem, fitting well into the beloved realm of fantasy-esque lyrics but in this case, for me, resounding even more powerfully with its combination of the 'missing love'/'undying love' themes. Great intro to the song and tremendous (and influential) musicianship all throughout. Title track "The Magician's Birthday" jumps from musical style to musical style within itself - including a part featuring what sounds like a kazoo! - although, regretfully, the coolest guitar parts on the whole album wind up representing the 'evil' part of the tale. Still exuberantly cool though. Musicianship and vocals great all through the album, with some of the best quirky-sounding synthesizer sounds ever laid down, doing exactly what a synthesizer generally does Best - not imitating other instruments but creating brand-new, usually bizarre, sounds you don't get off traditional instruments.

I should note that I noticed in the search engine there are new versions of this with bonus tracks out, which I couldn't review because I haven't heard them. Most of these bonuses are 'alternate versions' (sometimes 'single edits') of other Heep tracks but you still may wish to hunt down audio samples of the tracks represented on the expanded editions before deciding which version you want to buy. Now Hopefully, someday there'll be a big grand boxed set collecting All of Heep's rare tracks, but until then....

Whichever version you end up going with, you can't really go wrong with this. Great, emotion-spanning and inventive album whose vast influence will, unfortunately, probably never be acknowledged by professional critics but is no less vital for it.