« my morning jacket :: z | Main | new releases 10.11 »
October 09, 2005
the magic numbers :: the magic numbers
 |
| (buy) |
Knowing this CD was nominated for a 2005 Mercury Music Prize, I was surprised at what I heard when I popped this CD in. The nominees for that prize are usually a mix of mainstream art-rock like Radiohead, electronic flavors of the year, genre exercises, and epic statement records. This is an unassuming, rather straight-up guitar pop record, in many ways recalling the meat-and-potatoes college rock of the 80s more than anything else. There are a lot of 50s, 60s, and 70s references in reviews of this disc, and those work too: any variety of small-combo pop can be found here.
The album's greatest strength is its sunny vibe: the songs are almost unrelentingly sweet, and the lyrics are often pablum, but the band is so muscular and fluid that the songs are not withou heft. The outfit consists of two brother-and-sister pairs (nice for the PR launch), but is fundamentally a power trio, since one sister does percussion and backing vocals. The lead brother, who fronts the band, is a terrific guitar player, weaving melodic riffs into the kind of propulsive rhythm playing that is essential to carrying trio arrangements. The drummer and bass player are no slouches either.
There are constant brother-sister vocal harmonies, and at many points the band sounds like a genial, major key, in-tune version of X. The songs, however, are a mixed bag, usually within themselves as well as across the course of the album. Nearly every song takes an epic course, with more than one middle section, tempo changes, and the works. There aren't many songs that I love every moment of, but almost every song has a stretch I like. The tunes are certainly packed with melody; their common problem is that not everything fits.
It took me a while to adjust to The Magic Numbers: I wasn't expecting the simple sound, and then I couldn't grasp the songs, but I finally succumbed to the band's playing and transparency, which is a kind of throwback in this day of studio craft. This is an album that is overrated by the British music press, but is beguiling nonetheless.
Forever Lost (mp3)
I See You, I See Me (mp3)
Posted by borrowed_tunes at October 9, 2005 09:43 PM
Comments
i like it. had it a few months now. nice little pop album. i must say, the hype surrounding it was annoying.
Posted by: satisfied '75 at October 10, 2005 08:59 PM
[url=http://www-dearborn-animals-com.greatlegalservice.com/es/Canada-www-dearborn-animals-com.htm]COM De los Animales De Canadá WWW Dearborn[/url] * [url=http://www-dearborn-animals-com.greatlegalservice.com/de/Canada-www-dearborn-animals-com.htm]Kanada WWW Dearborn Tier-COM[/url] * [url=http://www-dearborn-animals-com.greatlegalservice.com/fr/Canada-www-dearborn-animals-com.htm]COM D'Animaux Du Canada WWW Dearborn[/url] COM De los Animales De Canadá WWW Dearborn | Kanada WWW Dearborn Tier-COM | COM D'Animaux Du Canada WWW Dearborn http://www-dearborn-animals-com.greatlegalservice.com/es/Canada-www-dearborn-animals-com.htm http://www-dearborn-animals-com.greatlegalservice.com/de/Canada-www-dearborn-animals-com.htm http://www-dearborn-animals-com.greatlegalservice.com/fr/Canada-www-dearborn-animals-com.htm
Posted by: Sten12650 at April 29, 2007 10:40 AM
[url=http://medweb5.bham.ac.uk/radiodiscuss/comments$trackback?u=1161&p=369&link=http://todivorce.org/attorney/]divorce attorney[/url] * [url=http://www.kci1.com/164.asp?url=http://todivorce.org/advice/]divorce advice[/url] * [url=http://www.platinumbank.net/speedbump.asp?link=todivorce.org/advice/&secure=false]divorce advice[/url] divorce attorney | divorce advice | divorce advice http://medweb5.bham.ac.uk/radiodiscuss/comments$trackback?u=1161&p=369&link=http://todivorce.org/attorney/ http://www.kci1.com/164.asp?url=http://todivorce.org/advice/ http://www.platinumbank.net/speedbump.asp?link=todivorce.org/advice/&secure=false
Posted by: Sten88261 at May 5, 2007 03:37 PM
[url=http://affittiasanteodoro.tyfja.info/affitti-appartamenti-a-milano.htm]Affitti Appartamenti A Milano[/url] * [url=http://affittiasanteodoro.tyfja.info/affitti-cala-gonone.htm]Affitti Cala Gonone[/url] * [url=http://affittiasanteodoro.tyfja.info/affitti-a-sestola.htm]Affitti A Sestola[/url] Affitti Appartamenti A Milano | Affitti Cala Gonone | Affitti A Sestola http://affittiasanteodoro.tyfja.info/affitti-appartamenti-a-milano.htm http://affittiasanteodoro.tyfja.info/affitti-cala-gonone.htm http://affittiasanteodoro.tyfja.info/affitti-a-sestola.htm
Posted by: Sten76435 at May 13, 2007 09:21 AM
[url=http://applecaramelcake.fruei.info/nfl-flask-gift-set.htm]Nfl Flask Gift Set[/url] * [url=http://applecaramelcake.fruei.info/association-education-new-technology-western-york.htm]Association Education New Technology Western York[/url] * [url=http://applecaramelcake.fruei.info/lampwork-earring.htm]Lampwork Earring[/url] Nfl Flask Gift Set | Association Education New Technology Western York | Lampwork Earring http://applecaramelcake.fruei.info/nfl-flask-gift-set.htm http://applecaramelcake.fruei.info/association-education-new-technology-western-york.htm http://applecaramelcake.fruei.info/lampwork-earring.htm
Posted by: Sten64109 at May 23, 2007 06:17 AM
[url=http://www.generalmills.com/exit.aspx?url=http://gear.wwwmotorcycle.info]motorcycle gear[/url] * [url=http://www.esteelauder.com/templates/session/viewcart.tmpl?returnurl=http://gear.wwwmotorcycle.info]motorcycle gear[/url] * [url=http://www.aderant.com/exit.aspx?url=http://gear.wwwmotorcycle.info]motorcycle gear[/url] motorcycle gear | motorcycle gear | motorcycle gear http://www.generalmills.com/exit.aspx?url=http://gear.wwwmotorcycle.info http://www.esteelauder.com/templates/session/viewcart.tmpl?returnurl=http://gear.wwwmotorcycle.info http://www.aderant.com/exit.aspx?url=http://gear.wwwmotorcycle.info
Posted by: Sten8344 at May 25, 2007 03:24 AM
[url=http://television.thebigcigars.com/view.php?id=498462]Well, boo f*ckin hoo[/url] * [url=http://television.thebigcigars.com/view.php?id=498463]And the parents speak up[/url] * [url=http://thoughts.toysmixsite.com/view.php?id=498467]Life...[/url] Well, boo f*ckin hoo | And the parents speak up | Life... http://television.thebigcigars.com/view.php?id=498462 http://television.thebigcigars.com/view.php?id=498463 http://thoughts.toysmixsite.com/view.php?id=498467
Posted by: Sten5846 at June 12, 2007 09:18 AM