No Thyself (reissue) vinyl

Howard Devoto, the architect of Manchester's punk scene, once claimed that Magazine's albums were crafted to endure, a sentiment that resonates in their latest offering, No Thyself. Serving as a long-awaited successor to Magic, Murder and the Weather, this album marked a triumphant return after three decades when it landed in 2011. With Noko on guitar and John 'Stan' White on bass, the band skillfully revives the dynamic essence of their early work. Tracks like 'Do The Meaning' and 'Holy Dotage' deliver the urgent post-punk energy that defined their classics, while the more ornate pieces like 'The Worst Of Progress' showcase their more experimental influences. Devoto's acerbic and darkly humorous lyrics remain sharp, reflecting on aging and mortality in tracks like 'Hello Mister Curtis', where he addresses Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain with wry candour. Amidst familiar sounds, standout track 'Physics' introduces a new direction with its tender melodies.