I actually deleted and redownloaded this album multiple times before I finally was able to get into it. My love for Patrick Wolf is like a streaming mental wave of succulent babies, and suffice to say The Magic Position was an abortion-blender that came between us on first listen. It wasn't until about last week that a friend of mine got me to go back through it, and it finally stuck.Patrick's trademark Brit voice no longer carries the wild energy of Lycanthropy or the introspection of Wind in the Wires, yet it's still him. Similarly, his other classic sounds, such as violin and programmed drums, come across as familiar yet slightly lacking. It doesn't help that the strings in the first song sounds just like Apocalyptica, or that his singing is vaguely standard. But this is an album that you have to give time to grow on. The spunk is still alive in songs like "Accident & Emergency," "Bluebells," "Get Lost," and the title track, while Patrick's thoughtful side is shown on "Augustine" and "Magpie" (the latter containing some excellent counter-vocals courtesy of Marianne Faithfull).
While I do enjoy this much more after trying it a few times, The Magic Position is by no means up to the standards made by Patrick Wolf's first two albums. But, like Githzerai said of Ministry's newest offering, at his laziest this man is still amazing. Recommended for die-hard fans or for those that want something a little more tame than previous releases.
8/10
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