Thursday, December 13, 2012

28. Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship (Secretly Canadian)


Over the course of two albums, Here We Go Magic honcho Luke Temple has defined himself by smudging definition, drifting stylistically in the gloaming between Bradford Cox’s frontier bedroom pop and Thom Yorke’s restless solo jags. And as he added band members (they’re now a four-piece), his songs grew thicker, his layers brushy. After winning over Yorke and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich at the Glastonbury Festival, the latter offered to produce “A Different Ship.” The result is a stunning reboot. “Hard to Be Close” — with its fluffy bass, tidy drums, twinkling guitars, and Temple’s voice — could be a cousin of anything on “In Rainbows.” The regal plod of “Alone but Moving” cradles Temple’s searching falsetto, starting off stark and gradually filling its gaps with radiant synths. It’s of a kin with the lovely, lonely “Over the Ocean,” and the chorus-drenched title track. Temple and Godrich make a great match in sound and spirit. “A Different Ship” not only plots a different course for Here We Go Magic, but it could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

via The Boston Globe
---

No comments: