She smiled at me
From the pages of a magazine
Pure fantasy
From an advertising figurine
She's playing
She's teasing
She's everything you'd wish for
She's doing it all for you
She sold it all to you
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
Such a picture
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
Such a picture
She knows her place
Switching on the style to fit the face
Down on the sand
She lays untouched by human hand
She's playing
She's teasing
She's everything you'd wish for
She's doing it all for you
She sold it all to you
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
Such a picture
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
Such a picture
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
Such a picture
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
She's a magazine
Such a picture
This is one of the first NM tracks I heard, from when my bro had just purchased the 7" single of "Sanctuary" back in the summer of 1980. It brings back memories of the time, yet has been with me ever since, and I've never tired of it one bit.
Right from the off when that deceptively simple yet effective electric guitar kicks in. The synths / keyboards are excellent - some great hooks - and what really does it for me is that almost choral effect (don't know how better to describe it) which runs almost throughout, changing pitch. Ethereal and heavenly...
The subject and the lyrics are great - very evocative, and Tony's vocal performance is again on form. It isn't a love song, but describes the emotions of attraction and falling in love wonderfully. I suppose it's about falling for someone unobtainable: unrequited love. Yet it's also about capitalism I guess - using beauty to sell a product.
Structurally it's all there: a fully realised track with a great chorus, beginning and end. It's an energetic song, yet dreamy at the same time. I find it captivating.
To me it probably encapsulates what NM were about as well as any track. It would have been a worthy single or album track.
99/100
(Richard M)
This is starting to get a bit tricky. How to describe all the essential elements of NM's greatness in a different way? The metronomic drumming. The skilful use of melody, often picked out on carefully crafted synth lines which are deceptively captivating. The clever vocals, often obtuse in their subject. And of course the vocal delivery which never errs from perfection.
The fact that I'm struggling with all this on one of NM's B sides says it all. At this stage of their short, but beautifully formed, career there was no filler. No fat. No "nearly good but not quite". All that appeared were fully fledged works of greatness. Whether long or short, vocal or instrumental, each was a jewel which formed a sensational crown. 'She's a Magazine' is a prime example. It would have been totally comfortable on the album, with a great hook, and a great "feelgood" approach which belied the superficial nature of life which its lyrics portray. However the real focal points, for me, are the beguiling synth lines which underpin the chorus. So beautiful, so infectious, so memorable. They deserve a track of their own.
;-)
(Graham G)