I've been waiting for this one. The first Magic Wands album, Aloha Moon, is a Spunk Rock Classic. The much anticipated follow-up, Jupiter, arrived today, and it is worth the wait. Like its predecessor, this record has dreamy vocals set to pleastantly psychedelic guitars. This one is layered with sounds, there is a lot going on in the background. The first one was more of what I call "extroverted" music - good for a house party, good for dancing. This one has more of an "introverted" feel.. more cerebral better suited for a small, intimate gathering, rather than a dance party. Several of the songs have fast tempos, but with more punk than funk, they are less danceable, instead occupying space in your head. This is not to say that one or the other is better, just that the new one is different. which progress. which is good.
Magic Wands are one of the best artists going today with what I call a "psychadelic" sound (sometimes called "dream pop). Remarkably, they do this in a way that is very pleasant to the ear. The guitar dissonance holds together as music so well that it could almost pass first glance as pop-rock. This is a great record to relax with a glass of wine at the end of the day. Or to accompany a trip to the art museum. Look for more on this theme later when I discuss the concept of "Spunk Rock After Hours."
Jupiter, the song, starts with a pounding, driving beat, that drags and doesn't quite break loose. A prelude. The repetitive bass lines gives a hypnotic effect, and the sounds gradually build towards a trance as the vocals come in. This is a great intro to set the stage for what is to come.
Chariot picks up the tempo a bit, and continues to paint a dreamy landscape of textured sounds.
Dream street slows the tempo back down slightly, but the rhythms are still loose and free. The bass lines are more open ended giving the guitar lines room to roam. A very enchanting song, great for dancing by oneself. I'll take a walk down dream street anytime.
Love soldier - more upbeat again. This would be a playlist pick. The melodies on this record are pleasant, yet somehow elusive. I'll need to listen to this several times to really unpack the song structures. Some of the earlier songs, such as Warrior and Black Magic had melodic one-liners that might catch in your head. Here, I get the sense that if the songs get stuck in my head, it will be as I sleep, but remain elusive to my waking mind.
Lazer Bitch is another playlist pick. It keeps the beat alive and has the head spinning by the end.
Himalaya is slower in tempo, but still loose and free. By now I'm fully entranced and ready to roam.
I'll Never Go There Again picks up where Himalaya left off, leading the journey through sparkling guitar riffs and shimmering vocal melodies.
Heartbeat rounds out the album nicely. Jupiter II fills 13 minutes and the end. if there is a song to skip on this record, it is the last one. Not that Jupiter II is a bad song, it just has less going on than the rest of the songs.. sort of a come down. I could stop after Heartbeat and feel like I had a great music listening experience.
Overall, this is an excellent record up against high expectations (the sophomore jinx). The first of the year I can recommend without qualification. It is one good song after another. A candidate for 2016 top 10.
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