Album Review: Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship

Indie rockers Here We Go Magic open up third album A Different Ship with instrumental Intro, fifty-one seconds of atmospheric composition that ushers in their brand of somnambulant-causing pop in a beautifully understated fashion. Blending in nicely to Hard To Be Close, it's clear to see that the Brooklyn quartet have worked hard at creating a harmonious album that ebbs and flows from start to finish. That isn't to say that these tracks cannot stand on their own merits – second single How Do I Know is a sweet line in percolating, resonant pop, and Miracles Of Mary wafts over like a warm wave of delectable whimsy. Luke Temple's sonorous vocals drift and waver, a soothing elixir that floats above the hushed instrumentation.

The issue with A Different Ship is that it feels too languid at times – whilst a track like Over The Ocean on its own is a great exercise in powerful ambience, it doesn't shine as much when connected to other songs that stick steadfastly to the same aesthetics. Radiohead uber-producer Nigel Godrich ensures that the production is glossy and sanguine, yet by buffing out the eclectic blemishes of past albums, it is at the expense of the pensive originality that the band holds in the live arena.

Here We Go Magic have crafted a nice album, no doubt about it, yet a little more bite would have allowed it to hold more character.