Wham! The White Stripes, The Hasselhoff Experiment Sassy!!. Here's another two piece band to add to the list. Like the White Stripes, Greg and Krysten share the same surname which is also the band name. The two take turns throughout the album playing guitar, drums and singing. Unlike a lot of other duos who come my way Magnuson fit more into the prog rock category than the garage rock hangout.
These two take as much influence from The Smiths as Black Sabbath. Over the jangly guitar of "Dark Reality" and "Somewhere" there's a Morrisey style happy melancholy to Greg's vocals. The uplifting vibe is quashed in "Real Control" courtesy of a Black Sabbath guitar tone and Ozzy style vocals. The combination of happiness and depression is a theme in "Blame" with its bouncing rythm and gothic poppiness reminicent of Life of Agony 's "Soul Searching Sun". Male and female vocals are used both to contrast and to provide harmonies on the head on collision of alternative pop and prog rock of "Stars Collide". Tool fans will either wet themselves in ectasy of shout, "RIP OFF" after hearing "Never Know" and "Fear and Deception".
There's a few heard it before moments on "Crash of Cassini". The striking production handled by Greg Magnuson is crisp and clear throughout the album and huge drumbeats and guitar lines come throuh strong. Whether or not, Crash of Cassini is the most musical mayhem created by a boy and a girl is open for debate. There's certainly a lot of noise and at times it is difficult to tell that there are only two band members. Claiming a superlative isn't always a good thing as a few of the songs could have been chopped. Still there's no denying that there is stunning musicianship and a number of greati moments on the album that mean it will be replayed. Am I alone in being reminded of the BBC Presenter by the band's name?
The album is due out in July 2011.
3.5/5
http://www.magnusonband.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment