The Magic Castles: The magic castles (2012)

Fuegos de artificio

No hay duda de que el nombre de esta banda de Minneapolis es ciertamente atractivo. Pero no todo en el mundo de la música es tener un nombre sugerente y brillante. The Magic Castles son una banda de Neo-Psicodelia bastante seguidista de The Brian Jonestown Massacre (graban para su sello) que, desafortunadamente para ellos, no han comenzado con buen pie en su primer largo no autoeditado. Su colección de once temas son un continuo esperar y nunca llegar a buen puerto. Sus temas son desvahídos, faltos de alma y desde luego de ese espíritu al que aspiran a llegar. La banda de Anton Newcombe son unos absolutos renovadores del género, van por libre, improvisan y casi siempre encontramos momentos brillantes en sus discos, que no son pocos. The Magic Castles son aspirantes a lo mismo, pero desgraciadamente, y me duele escribir mal de un disco, su objetivo es más que errático y fallido.
Podría destacar algunos momentos de este largo y prolijo álbum: Death dreams, Ballad of the golden bird, Big sur… pero es que siempre me queda la sensación de echar en falta algo. Ni sus (supuestas) influencias clásicas (Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield…) llegarían a verse reflejadas en ningún momento. Mejor dejarlo pasar y darles otra oportunidad.

_____________________________

“An indulgent lot, the two longest tracks here both stand at eight minutes something. Amongst lilting guitars, ‘Ballad of the Golden Bird’ regales us with tales of ancient lands where ancient castles do stand, whilst the snail paced drone of ‘All My Prayers’ trails off into what seems like an eternity.
Even slower is ‘Songs of the Forest’ which hangs on a repetitive swaying bass rhythm for its entire length. The shorter tracks (‘Now I’m a Little Cold’ ’10 100’ and ‘Letter Box’) either drag on for ages because of their extended solos or feel like they’re moving without a destination. And vocalist Jason Edmonds’ voice is often buried so deeply into the mix, it becomes almost inaudible. With a little less self-indulgence here, these could be quite decent tracks. Unfortunately, just because you’ve had enough of their tedious psychedelia, doesn’t exactly mean Magic Castles have. Perhaps the worst offender is closing track ‘Emery Memories.’ Filled with rickety instruments and joyful stupidity throughout, it even makes Beady Eye’s take on Sixties nostalgia sound good.
Magic Castles does have its moments. ‘Big Sur’ is a nonchalant surf number that wouldn’t be totally out of place on a Tarantino soundtrack, ‘Imaginary Friends’ is a more carefree take on the same meandering intro of the Horrors’ ‘Endless Blue’. And opening track ‘Death Dreams’ aims for the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s folk and perfectly strikes the bulls eye several times over. More brilliantly outrageous is ‘Mystical Sage Warrior,’ its absurd name adding to the experience. A psych gaze assault on the senses, its thrashing guitars, demonic vocals and overall freak out threatens to come at you from every direction possible. It’s one of the more visceral moments of the LP and one that’s much needed.
Magic Castles is proof that just because you own a great psychedelic record collection, doesn’t mean you can particularly make one yourself. The Minneapolis natives certainly aren’t strangers to the sound they play with and can replicate it with confidence. Perhaps those new to the genre might find this interesting, but for those already familiar with the hundred or so other imitators out there, Magic Castles is one record to sidestep this time around” (drownedinsound.com)

Facebook / Cómpralo-Purchase