Coming out of nowhere, The Magic Numbers have quickly become one of the biggest bands of 2005. Mixing a sunny pop sound, reminiscent of the 60s with a new indie rock sound, The Magic Numbers are well on their way to stardom.
The Magic Numbers
Romeo Stodart - Vocals, Guitar
Michelle Stodart - Bass, Vocals, Keyboards
Sean Gannon - Drums
Angela Gannon - Percussion, Melodica, Vocals
The Magic Numbers' progressive pop sound has been finding a place in the hearts of music lovers worldwide. Indeed, though the band are based in Britain, they feature members from the London, Trinidad and the New York. Possibly the best thing about The Magic Numbers' debut is the fact that it is so easily accessible. Instead of relying on gimmicks to make interesting pop music, The Magic Numbers simply let their sound do the talking. Anyone who sees photos of the band will soon realise that it's not image that has made this band popular, but rather the strength of their music and in particular, their singles. First single, "Forever Lost" is one of the most catchy, fun, progressive and all around brilliant tracks on the record. Featuring pretty guitar licks, lyrics that are easy to relate to and harmonies that The Beach Boys would be jealous of, "Forever Lost" is without a doubt one of the best singles of the year. It begins with an upbeat guitar groove and Romeo's excellent vocals. It slowly morphs into something entirely different, until it builds back up to the original chorus. This happens reguarly throughout the album, refusing to let songs become boring. Though this album is easily accessible, the way that songs progress and change into entirely different compositions is something rarely seen outside of inaccessible and unmemorable progressive metal. In an age where pop music has become stagnant with 80s rip-off bands, 'punk' bands who's posters are stuck on the walls of every 13 year old girl in Western society and horribly repetetive modern R&B artists, The Magic Numbers are, if nothing else, a breath of fresh air.
Although
The Magic Numbers is quite easily one of the best records of the year, it suffers from what seems to be the biggest issue this year in indie releases. It simply has too many tracks. While the album starts incredibly strongly and finishes well, the late middle of it suffers. Considering that
The Magic Numbers is a 13 track, well-over-an-hour affair, some of the songs towards the middle of the record simply do not need to be there. That's not to say that those songs are totally useless, because patient listeners will no doubt find themselves in love with every song on the album. However, with this record being a debut, perhaps culling tracks such as "Wheels on Fire", "Try" and "Love is Game" would have worked towards the album's benefit. An impressive aspect of this record is the musical skill involved, particularly in the guitar and vocal department. While 10 minute guitar solos will probably never become popular to a mainstream audience, The Magic Numbers offer a fresh alternative to the 3 chord pop-punk which dominates the radio so heavily in 2005. Tasteful guitar licks, beautiful vocal harmonies and impressive singing dominate this record without a powerchord in sight.
The Magic Numbers, with their fresh sound, have created one of the best records of the year. Including ballads, as well as upbeat pop songs, The Magic Numbers includes a healthy amount of variation. Injecting fun, musical skill, beauty, diversity and originality back into pop music, The Magic Numbers deserve every bit of critical acclaim they have seen this year.
Pros
Fun, catchy, progressive and original
A good mix of songs and sounds
Skilled musicianship and varied instrumentation
Cons
A bit too long
Slightly weak album closer; 'It Won't Hurt' would have been more effective
Reccomended Tracks
Forever Lost
Love Me Like You
This Love
FINAL RATING: 4/5
