antiMusic.com: Paul Maged - Diamonds & Demons

Paul Maged - Diamonds & Demons

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New York singer/songwriter Paul Maged has also studied acting and even performed some stand-up comedy. With such experience, you'd think he'd already learned that one of the quickest ways to lose an audience's attention is to get a little too preachy. Maged has all his sermon notes together, as he displays when telling us about how some who believe they "justify bloodshed as God's will" during the rocking "Cause & Effect." However, after a while the audience simply gets tired of being sung at, which is what Maged mostly does here.

It's not until over half way through this long album that Maged sings an honest-to-goodness love song with "My Dear Love." He sings it -- as he vocalizes most songs -- with a passionate voice that sounds to be on the verge of losing control. The track is a nice touch of humanity, and a factor one wishes to have heard in far more places during the album.

Maged could learn a thing or two from artists like Bruce Springsteen and The Clash (folks he probably already admires) because these performers have a way of highlighting a cause and persuading us to join the bandwagon right along with them. Socially active artists must find a way to be leaders, not just preachers. Once Maged finds a way to get us on the same page as he is, he already has enough enthusiasm to get the job done.

Paul Maged - Diamonds & Demons
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