Magnified is the second album by the American alternative rock band Failure.[4][5] It was released on March 8, 1994, through Slash Records.[6]
| Magnified | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 8, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1993, Kiva West, Encino | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 49:04 | |||
| Label | Slash[2] | |||
| Producer | Failure | |||
| Failure chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Magnified | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Kerrang! |  [3] |
Production
editDrummer Robert Gauss departed during the recording of the album; the remaining drum parts were played by John Dargahi and Greg Edwards.[7]
Magnified differs from Failure's debut album Comfort by using a great deal of bass guitar distortion. The use of a bassline as the main structure of the song as well as distortion can be heard best on "Frogs" and "Small Crimes."
Critical reception
editIn a retrospective article published to coincide with the album's 25th anniversary, Decibel wrote that "druggy chord changes slither unpredictably, oftentimes led by a four-string bassquake alongside primal drumming, both delivered with forceful conviction."[8] Trouser Press called the album "a major improvement [over the debut], but not a thorough success," writing that "Failure paints senseless coats of alternative guitar ... over tuneful material that might actually be enticing if not for the underbrush."[2] The Seattle Times wrote that "the songwriting on Magnified is more pop-oriented than on the band's first disc, Comfort, which had more of an improvisational feel."[9] The Albuquerque Journal wrote that "Failure checks into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame as the only band to have less variation between songs than Boston."[10]
Track listing
editAll music is composed by Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards except "Let It Drip", by Andrews
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Let It Drip" | Andrews | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Moth" | Edwards | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Frogs" | Andrews, Edwards | 4:55 |
| 4. | "Bernie" | Andrews | 5:17 |
| 5. | "Magnified" | Edwards | 4:36 |
| 6. | "Wonderful Life" | Andrews | 5:34 |
| 7. | "Undone" | Andrews, Edwards | 4:27 |
| 8. | "Wet Gravity" | Edwards | 6:06 |
| 9. | "Empty Friend" | Edwards | 4:21 |
| 10. | "Small Crimes" | Edwards | 7:13 |
| Total length: | 49:04 | ||
Personnel
edit- Ken Andrews – vocals, guitar, bass
- Greg Edwards – bass, guitar, drums
- John Dargahi – drums on 1, 2, 6 & 7[11]
Credits
editRecorded by Paul Lani. Mixed by David Bianco and Ken Andrews. Frog: Bruce Schwartz
References
edit- ^ a b "Magnified - Failure". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Failure". Trouser Press. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ^ Travers, Paul (April 2, 1994). "Rekordz". Kerrang!. No. 488. EMAP. p. 47.
- ^ "Failure | Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (December 16, 2019). "Failure Celebrate First Three Albums With Live Residencies, Box Set". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Murphy, Kerry (January 31, 1994). "Dialogue" (PDF). CMJ New Music Report. 37 (6): 59 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ "Failure FAQ 1997".
- ^ "Retrospective: Failure's "Magnified" 25 Years Later". Decibel Magazine. March 8, 2019.
- ^ "Summer Gets Rocking With 'Rockstock '94' | The Seattle Times". archive.seattletimes.com.
- ^ "TOOL FAILURE INFECTIOUS GROOVES JOHN TRUDELL BRUCE COCKBURN". Albuquerque Journal: 61. April 21, 1994.
- ^ "Album Magnified, Failure | Qobuz: download and streaming in high quality".