• Consequence
  • Music
  • Film
  • TV
  • Heavy
Menu Consequence
Menu Shop Search Sale
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Live
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Mobile App
Advertisement
  • Reviews
  • Album Reviews

Album Review: Here We Go Magic – Here We Go Magic

A-

Artists

  • Here We Go Magic
Advertisement
Alex Young
February 19, 2009 | 3:30pm ET

    Whenever a good TV show goes off the air, people ask the stars and producers why they’re doing it. Why not stay until you’re canceled? Why not stay until you’re two or three seasons past your prime and nobody’s watching you anymore? Why not stay until viewers start asking why you didn’t quit while you were ahead?

    I sometimes find myself in the same position of these TV fans when I’m listening to a really good album. One of my favorite albums, Fiona Apple’s When the Pawn…, is comprised of 10 tight tracks that run 42 minutes. I love every moment of the album and always wish for another few tracks as the last note of “I Know” fades. Yet, I know that the album is as long as it needs to be. It’s not about less being more; it’s about the right amount being just that–the right amount. And when those 10 songs are up, I feel like she’s said all that needs to be said.

    Upon listening to Here We Go Magic, the self-titled debut of Luke Temple’s Brooklyn-based project, I had a similar experience. It’s not so much that I wanted another song, I just wanted the experience to continue a little longer than its brief 38 minutes.

    Advertisement
    Related Video

    On Here We Go Magic, Temple dabbles in quiet folk rock, ambient noises, and African percussion-all filtered through the DIY lo-fi indie aesthetic that prevents the album from being a mishmash of genres. The first four tracks are the strongest portion of the album, serving up a nice cross section of Temple’s sound. “Only Pieces”, the catchy opener, asks, “What’s the use in dying if I don’t know when? / What’s the use in trying dying if I don’t know when? / There are only pieces of me / What’s the use in dying if I cannot see?” No, really, laid over some fast picking and hollow percussion, you’d sing along with reckless abandon, too. And after a pleasant four minutes, the track fades away as softly as it arrived.

    The next track, “Fangela”, mines the harmonies and cotton vocals of 1970s acoustic rock in a sweet, if not enigmatic, courtship hymn to the titular character. The lite jazz of “Ahab” is almost jarring because you might think for a moment that Temple is about to start desperately jumping from one genre to another, ruining his good thing. Luckily, he grounds the track with his monotonous but fuzzy vocal track. “Ahab” stands as an example of Temple’s desire to create a consistent musical atmosphere because, even though I can’t understand many words in this song, it sounds like an essential component of the LP.

    The aptly named “Tunnelvision” concludes the album’s stellar opening run of tracks. It’s a repetitive indie rock track that grows more distorted as vocals continue to pile up and the tempo feels more frantic, even if it doesn’t actually change. The song also marks the first time we hear Temple’s voice venture into the higher range, proving he’s not just a droning emo boy.

    Advertisement

    The second half of the album is still good, but the decision to load it up with more ambient tunes tips the LP too heavily. After a stretch of memorable melodies, the whitewater rapids ramming against tinny crashes in “Ghost List” feel misplaced. The album’s biggest flaw is undoubtedly in its sequencing. The instrumental numbers should be scattered throughout the album because I guarantee you, if this were a vinyl LP, few listeners would ever feel the need to flip to side B. The tracks work, but they get lost amongst each other. Luckily, a little playlist tweaking can solve the problem.

    Luckily, “Everything’s Big”, the fatalistic closer, assesses the grand themes of life in with some silly lyrics and lighthearted vocals. You could’ve found yourself doing the box step to this in 1952, if Temple weren’t reminding you, “We stuck around ‘cause nobody wanted to die.” The lyrical allusion to the opening number and the track’s varied musical approach gives the album a tangible closure that’s missing from many albums today.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit

Artists

  • Here We Go Magic

Sign up for updates

Subscribe to our email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Advertisement

Popular Stories

Pete Davidson Eminem SNL

TV

Eminem Shuts Down Pete Davidson's Final SNL Rap Video: Watch

Robert Fripp and Toyah cover Radiohead

Heavy Consequence

Robert Fripp and Plastic-Wrapped Toyah Perform Radiohead's "Creep": Watch

Explore Flower Lab Pre-Roll Sampler Pack

Explore Flower Lab Pre-Roll Sampler Pack

Advertisement

Mick Jagger with Harry Styles

Music

Mick Jagger: Harry Styles Is a "Superficial Resemblance to My Younger Self"

morgan freeman russia

Film

Morgan Freeman Permanently Banned from Entering Russia

Personalized Stories

Around The Web

Latest Stories

Harrys House Review

Welcome to Harry's House, Harry Styles' Most Self-Assured and Thoughtfully Constructed Album to Date

May 20, 2022

jordana face the wall album review

On Face The Wall, Jordana Ascends

May 19, 2022

mr morale big steppers review

With Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Kendrick Lamar Chooses Himself and Makes a Masterpiece

May 13, 2022

the smile a light for attracting attention album review

The Smile's A Light for Attracting Attention Is an Album for Attracting Radiohead Fans

May 13, 2022

Advertisement

News

  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture
  • Tours

Reviews

  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews

Features

  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Lists
  • Rankings
  • Artist of the Month
  • Song of the Week

Live

  • Concert Tickets
  • Festival Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Livestreams
  • Music Instruments & Gear

Heavy

  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts

More

  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Music Videos
  • Streaming
  • Wellness
  • Giveaways

Other sites

  • Heavy Consequence
  • Consequence Media
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Advertising
  • Terms
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Do not sell my personal information

Download our app

  • Get it on the App Store
  • Get it on Google Play
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Consequence
Current story

Album Review: Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic

Menu Shop Search Sale
Consequence
News
  • All News
  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture
  • Tours
Reviews
  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews
Features
  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Lists
  • Rankings
  • Artist of the Month
  • Song of the Week
Live
  • Concert Tickets
  • Festival Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Livestreams
  • Music Instruments & Gear
Podcasts
  • The Opus
  • Kyle Meredith With...
  • Stanning BTS
  • The Story Behind the Song
  • The What
  • Going There with Dr. Mike
  • The Rome and Duddy Show
  • Rootsland
  • This Must Be The Gig
  • Assembly
Videos
  • Interview
  • Video Essay
  • Fan Theories
  • Sole Kitchen
  • Annotated Video
Heavy
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Culture
  • Beyond the Boys Club
  • Mining Metal
Shop

Follow Consequence

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Close
Close