Magma on a full scale Attahk

[Zappathustra]

So here's how the story went, when I was first introduced to Magma some 20 years ago: the classic albums stop with Udu Wudu. There is a markable fall in quality afterwards.

That was in tune with my own prejudice that good prog stopped at year 1976. And since I wasn't too fond of the classic albums anyway, I never listened to Attahk and beyond.

Until recently, when the earlier albums finally made sense to me and entered into my heart. It was time for Attahk. And I was shocked with how good it was. The tension of Magma's music, its gigantic scope was being transferred into some completely different environment, some sort of intergalactic club, where strange monsters are dancing along with angels.

No, this is not the evil, dark music we usually expect from Magma, this is music where joy and love overflow, like Spiritual (which sounds like Rolling Stones minus the gravity component) or the adorable Dondai, which remains an absolute highlight of the band for me.

Of course Vander's performance as a vocalist is central to the final result. I just love his voice, the emotion he conveys, the sheer presence in every little sound he utters from within. And his drumming is as always stellar (I think I've never heard such a loud kick-drum in any other recording).

This is a fucking masterpiece, right up there with the best of Magma's albums! What do you say? Do you agree?

[aith01]

Good thread! I actually really, really like Attahk, but it took some time to come around to it. It was about five years ago when it finally "clicked" with me and I could not stop playing songs like "Last Seven Minutes" and "Dondai", which are two of my favorite Magma tracks ever.

It's pretty different from what came before in their catalog, as the opening bars of "Last Seven Minutes" make very clear. It feels a bit more "fusiony" to me, and perhaps might be one of the most accessible Magma records (if there is such a thing).

And of course, the bizarre Giger cover artwork must be mentioned as well. I've always found it simultaneously repulsive and fascinating.

[Zappathustra]

Good thread! I actually really, really like Attahk, but it took some time to come around to it. It was about five years ago when it finally "clicked" with me and I could not stop playing songs like "Last Seven Minutes" and "Dondai", which are two of my favorite Magma tracks ever.

It's pretty different from what came before in their catalog, as the opening bars of "Last Seven Minutes" make very clear. It feels a bit more "fusiony" to me, and perhaps might be one of the most accessible Magma records (if there is such a thing).

And of course, the bizarre Giger cover artwork must be mentioned as well. I've always found it simultaneously repulsive and fascinating.

I consider this accessibility you are rightly referring to as the album's greatest achievement: it didn't happen at the expense of quality or the music's unique identity.

[no.nine]

Yes, I think Attahk has been unfairly attahked over the years. I think it's just as good as anything that came earlier although it's certainly different. I wouldn't go so far, though, as to call it accessible. Except, that is, in comparison to their previous albums. I would expect that most anyone hearing it as their first exposure to the band would still come away with the impression that Magma's weird!

[Udi Koomran]

I love this album

[betty humpter]

Attahk is fanfuckingtastic! I also like a fair share of Merci. Does that make me a bad person?

[GuitarGeek]

As far as I can tell, Magma never really made a bad album. Yeah, I know, you're thinking, "One word: Merci", ok, there is that one. Once I got over the shock of finding out that Magma had done a track with the refrain "Ooh, Ooh Baby" in it, I actually kinda dig that one. I could live without the drum machine (definition of redundant: Christian Vander using a LinnDrum), but otherwise I like most of that album. I would love to some day hear them do I Must Return live.

[Kcrimso]

Great album! I like this one much more than Udu Wudu.

[Zeuhlmate]

Great album !
Some of the best shorter tracks Magma ever made.

[Dana5140]

Speaking of "Ooh, ooh, Baby," (Love in the Darkness) have you ever listened to the actual lyrics? They are pretty damned scary!

"I want you to stop now, baby..."
"Where is the love?"

[JAMOOL]

Attahk is excellent...particularly the first two and last two tracks. The stuff in middle I can kinda take or leave, damn entertaining as it is. In a lot of ways its their most over-the-top album. Pretty interesting to hear Vander practically invent drum n' bass on "The Last Seven Minutes"...I haven't heard too many people playing rhythms like that in the 70s! (outside of the famous ones that get sampled all the time, of course) I also love the tune "Retrovision", which was only played live but was in the same spirit as the rest.

As for Merci - definitely not "bad" in any sense, I think if you're coming at it as a Magma fan you may just want to skip the first track entirely since I think that one really does color people's opinion of the album as a whole. The energy isn't quite there - "Otis" sounds like something that would've totally killed in the 70's - but the music really is beautiful. I think the second side is one of their best album sides, honestly. "I Must Return", in particular. Sounds like a musical, but still...great stuff.

[Udi Koomran]

Guy Dela Croix the bass player here is fantastic
I heard Vander kicked him out cause he wasn’t obedient enough ...

[Zappathustra]

Guy Dela Croix the bass player here is fantastic
I heard Vander kicked him out cause he wasn’t obedient enough ...

Yes, insane bass. Which is no surprise for a Magma record.

[Udi Koomran]

I prefer him to Paga and dare i say Buso ?
Blasphemous ?

[chalkpie]

Yes, insane bass. Which is no surprise for a Magma record.

I need a revisit. Been a while. Good thing I'm Magma binj-ing.

[Mister Triscuits]

Good thing I'm Magma binj-ing.

Brandy as in Binj.

[aith01]

[Zappathustra]

I prefer him to Paga and dare i say Buso ?
Blasphemous ?

I too am blasphemous! Stunning performance. Funky bass from the guts of hell.

[Zappathustra]

I need a revisit. Been a while. Good thing I'm Magma binj-ing.

Don't forget to let us know what you think.

[GuitarGeek]

Speaking of "Ooh, ooh, Baby," (Love in the Darkness) have you ever listened to the actual lyrics? They are pretty damned scary!

"I want you to stop now, baby..."
"Where is the love?"

"Scary" in what sense? Because it's a pop song lyric? Or is there some "sinister" meaning hidden under the pop confection arrangement (as per Every Breath You Take)?
I'd ahve to give another listen because, honestly, no I don't remember the owrds. In the NEARfest 2003 program, there's a comment that suggests that on Merci introduced English lyrics, and more mainstream influences, but any commercial potential it would have had was undercut by the fact that it's "a concept album about death". I've never really focused that much on the words to the songs, the ones that are in English, but it is worth noting the last song on side two is called The Night We Died.

"I Must Return", in particular. Sounds like a musical, but still...great stuff.

The Night We Died is basically the same melody/chords, with I assume are Kobaian lyrics, with only piano accompaniment, so it has a much less "musical theater" sounding arrangement.

And speaking of Magma going all "musical theater" there's also Retrovision, which took a bunch of the musical motifs from Attahk, and spun them into a single 20 minute piece, occupying the entire side one of Retrospectiw III. I remember finding that record in the basement at Record Revolution, and buying it immediately. I wasn't sure what to make off the first 3/4's of Retrovision at first, but I decided I liked it. Different, yes, but still good.

I liked the review of Retrospectiw III, that i once saw, where the reviewer suggested that "just when you're wondering who kidnapped the real Magma", Retrovision suddenly turns into something that sounds more like the Magma we all know from the 70's.

The thing I find interesting about Magma is they made this avant garde music, yet somehow they were...I dunno about "media darlings", but there's seems to be a fair amount of footage of them on Youtube that apperas to originate from French television. And it's not just because "it was the 70's", because there's a clip of them from when KA came out, where they play the first few minutes, on what appears to be a Today style talk show.

[Udi Koomran]

“Retrovision' is one of the best recordings of the Magma breakneck orgasmic post soul style, and a classic. Followed by a full length version of HHAI and the 4 min. 'LA' DAWOTSIN.”
Chris Cutler

[Progbear]

Attahk was one of the last of the “main sequence” (i.e.: 70s) Magma albums I heard. When I got to it, I thought it was “just OK.” Over the years it’s grown to be one of my favorites, maybe my very favorite Magma album! The mix of jazz fusion and classic R&B stylings with the usual Kobaïan madness is absolutely unique, and so exciting. “The Last 7 Minutes” and “Liriïk Nekronomicus Kaahnt” are the high points for me, though “Dondaï” is a rare moment of great beauty from Magma, and the bass intro to “Nono” rocks my world. I have to limit my listenings to this album so I don’t kill it from overplaying.

[Udi Koomran]

I vividly remember hearing Dondai on my favorite show on local radio when it came out
I had MDK and Magma2 since 1976 and was working my way backwards in their catalog
Still at that time this was the last album I followed
I missed out on the Retrospective series in realtime
Never bothered with Merci

[Zappathustra]

OPS. Orgasmic Post Soul. That sums it up well.

And Soul not as a musical term, but in the literal sense. Post Soul, even further than the soul. Yes, I like this.

[Trane]

Great album! I like this one much more than Udu Wudu.

TBH, I kinda of stopped after Köhntarkösz and Hhaï (I still have Udu, but never owned Attakh)

Not that I dislike (far from), but let's face it, re-hashing the same old grounds (even with tiny differences) album after album...

Still love a good Magma concert, but studio albums are not for me anymore. I had tried Ka, but will somle day get rid of it.