Magnums little slack?

"Rock Art" is considered the creative low point in the Magnum discography. This criticism is certainly justified, but we must not forget here, how high the bar must have been through the grandiose predecessor.
Was that the album received significantly less well than their predecessors may be due to two aspects. First musical style and structure of the album do not correspond to what you were used to from Magnum. Here is not created like the other albums, a romantic, dreamy atmosphere with depth, with a song enriches the other. Rather, some solid rock numbers on offer, but do not develop interdependence and act partly quite thrown together. The other point is probably that it has taken less costly in the instrumentation, the songs are perfectly crafted argued and that's it. No fancy keyboard passages, a few majestic passages. Atmosphere will not rise quite as mainstream rock is "only" offered.
What remains is a very good hard rock album that can not quite keep the standard of artistic outstanding predecessor, but still far from being bad! "Rock Art" is a "normal" commercial rock album with some excellent numbers, which the followers has unfortunately not enough, as they had hoped for another masterpiece ...
The album features four really exceptionally good title, the rest is - only - Standard.

Among the songs:
1. We all need to be loved: A good opener, earthy melodic rock without frills
2. Heard Hearted Woman: Could be of any x-any hard rock band from Magnum, however one would have expected a little more. Despite clearly audible.
3. Back in your arms again: beautiful love ballad with a lot of potential, should be a single. The first highlight!
4. Heavy skirt: A meaningless song with overly concern Wi text. Perhaps the weakest point of the album. On Live - but appearances he came but always good to ...
5. The Tall Ships: Masterfully dreamy work that is reminiscent of the big moments of the band and inspires you to dream away. However, the beautiful, delicate and finely composed song among all the Hard Rock numbers seems lost and has few opportunities to unfold. The second highlight of the album should be a single.
6. Tell Tale eyes: full of energy and is anything but boring, but a lot to say these guys did not here :-)
7. Love is a Stranger: Perhaps one of the best Magnum - songs ever, with beautiful keyboard parts. This demonstrates once again the true greatness of a composer Tony Clarkin. The third highlight!
8. Hush-a-bye-baby: adds variety, reggae from Magnum with perfectly sealed verses (!).
9. Just this side of heaven: largely inconsequential, but not boring.
10. I want to decide myself: old-fashioned and very gentle number, when Goldkehlchen Bob Catley may caress the ear canals of the fans again.
11. On Christmas Day: Each Magnum album included a previously anti-war song, RockArt is no exception. Romance and social criticism in a worry for the fourth highlight of the album! The first, slower, romantic half of the song tells the story of the ideal of Christmas and stirred after the umpteenth hear, the second, more rapid and very casual sung half shows the listener then the bitter reality. The song was inspired by a story well, with the soldiers, because of Christmas, interrupt the war unceremoniously and celebrate together. In live performances of the song was because of the atmosphere "defused" and the second half unceremoniously left out. Definitely a very big Tony Clarkin moment!

That one with songs like "Tell Tale eyes" or "Rock Heavy", perhaps the two weakest Magnum songs, few of discerning music listener could inspire, was clear. But that the big numbers like "Tall Ships", "Love is a Stranger" and "On Christmas Day" found so little attention, is a shame.
After the release of "Rock Art" and a final tour, the band for a while, Bob Catley and Clarkin, who was burned, a respite needed and wanted to gain inspiration separated, then went after some time further as Duo "Hard Rain", to Magnum is finally together again and should regain its full size.
Granted, "Rock Art" is when you can speak of the least creative album of storytellers, considering musical standards but it's still slightly above average and a thoroughly recommendable, technically perfect work with 4 artistic perfectly composed and sealed Songs, 5 good to very good melodic rock numbers and 2 failures that certainly forgive the fans and the other (hopefully) might not notice.