| Magic Hour | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 17 May 1999 | |||
| Recorded | Ridge Farm Studio Air Studios | |||
| Genre | Rock - Orchestral pop | |||
| Length | 68:28 | |||
| Label | Polydor (547176) | |||
| Producer | Gil Norton | |||
| Cast chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Magic Hour | ||||
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Magic Hour is the third album by the English band Cast, released in 1999. [1] [2] "Beat Mama" and the title track were both released as singles, and reached number nine and number 28 on the UK Singles Chart respectively.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| NME | 5/10 [4] |
| Record Collector | [5] |
Mike DeGagne of AllMusic gave praise to Power's songwriting being "way above 1997's Mother Nature Calls " and his musicianship being "extremely sharp" throughout the track listing, while also highlighting Peter Wilkinson's performance as "more professional and [more] focused" than with his other bands, concluding that: "Even though none of the songs can match the strength of "Guiding Star" […] Magic Hour still stands up as the group's second best recording." [3]
In a retrospective review, Jamie Atkins of Record Collector said the album and its successor Beetroot showcase a band attempting to "break new ground [...] It all just lacks wit, imagination and conviction". [5]
All tracks are written by John Power
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Beat Mama" | 4:10 |
| 2. | "Compared to You" | 3:38 |
| 3. | "She Falls" | 3:31 |
| 4. | "Dreamer" | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Magic Hour" | 3:08 |
| 6. | "Company Man" | 3:51 |
| 7. | "Alien" | 5:26 |
| 8. | "Higher" | 4:04 |
| 9. | "Chasing the Day" | 4:20 |
| 10. | "The Feeling Remains" | 3:54 |
| 11. | "Burn the Light" | 4:01 |
| 12. | "Hideaway" | 24:42 |
| Charts (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart | 6 [6] |
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