Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic

Reviewed by Garrett

2.5 out of 5 Faces (Ratings)

Release Date: February 4, 2009

Label: Western Vinyl

This is the type of record that infuriates me.  It's only nine tracks.  That's a serious detriment, one that only an album the likes of Bon Iver's 2008 release can get away with.  Here We Go Magic is NOT that album.  Wait, it gets better - tracks five through eight are little more than static with the occasional blip.  Yawn.  I know some folks out there are going to enjoy the blippy static, but it's just not for me.  I like my ambient music to be less ambient.

This leaves us with a five song EP.  Discard the last track, the caberet-style "Everything's Big (featuring Luke Temple)."  It's not particularly worth your time.  (Luke Temple, by the way, IS Here We Go Magic, so every song "features" him.  This makes me want to jump kick Luke Temple in his featured face, Double Dragon style.)

Now you're down to four songs... four REALLY good songs.  Tracks one through four.  "Only Pieces", "Fangela", "Ahab" and "Tunnelvision."  All four are lo-fi, high-pitch, droney, blippy (yes, but in a good way this time) and acoustic-y.  Think of the better parts of Califone's "Roots and Crowns" album.  Synthesized, yes.  Processed, yes.  Spaced out... hells yes.  But still weirdly folky and accessible.   

Of course, this still doesn't make up for having to waste my time on Space Cadet Luke's Grand Adventure on tracks five through nine.  How about a real album next time?