13

The wait is over and it was worth it! Did you ever really have any doubts?

It's here, it's here! It's like Christmas morning, 5 years old, finally it's arrived, after all the waiting and after going to bed extra early the night before so tomorrow would come extra fast, The Magic Numbers' album is released to the public. The Magic Numbers juggernaut hasn't stopped hurtling along since the release of the perfect debut single 'Hymn For Her' which wowed us all and gained the rare and coveted R13 tag from yours truly.

Then came massive notoriety and unstoppable interest, all spawned from word of mouth going down underground. A spate of live shows ensued, supporting the likes of Travis and The Bees and they often ended up showing up the headliners. 'Forever Lost' came out to a fan base that was expanding by the minute and the hunger for an album grew to immeasurable and unbearable heights. The extent of the anticipation that's been bubbling for this band demonstrates what a special happening this emergence is on the music scene of Now. After June 13th, the summer of 2005 belongs to The Magic Numbers.

'So what's it like?' I hear you begging. Well, it's good, 'yeah, no way…' you say. But good's as good a word as any word would be an understatement for the joyous experience that is this incredible debut album. Starting off with the subtle 'Mornings Eleven' that builds and builds and delivers the juice and cakes you in excitement and wonder and gets you nodding in approval from start to finish.

Current single 'Forever Lost' is next in all its groovy glory, then a jumpy, chirpy guitar-led little song called 'The Mule' hops right on to the tracks. Smooth, bouncy and flouncy, it's gorgeous, warm and soft and talks of failed relationship tales. That's where most of the inspiration for it transpires from. But chief writer of this band which was formed from two families, Romeo Stodart (sister Michele Stodart and the siblings Angela and Sean Gannon make up the group) finds the happiness in his sadness and turns upsetting emotions into uplifting songs, floundering times into joyous occasions.

'Love Me Like You' is a song to die for, brilliant in every way, lovely, loving, supple and super. Then 'Which Way To Happy' hits you with its jazzy tempo, country-tinged flow, continuing the stream of brilliance that runs on into the ocean of your mind.

'I See You, You See Me' starts as velvet (Underground) and spins out as silk. Man oh man, it's sunshine on Earth, the rays that light the day and light your way, a song to make everything shine holy and worthwhile, glorious. 'Don't Give Up The Fight' is big and spacious and just fabulous, happy and cool and just like a welcome breeze on a hot day.

'Wheels Of Fire' Gram Parsons-like is beautiful with celestial chord-progressions that produce a supernova of colour in your head. 'Love's A Game' lilts and tilts and smoothly hammers on and off and rolls and glides so well, so sexily, so truthfully in its anatomy of that old stupifying game that is love. 'Try' then sends you out to sea like a hymn in a dream in Heaven. Treasure's to be found after that too, but let's not spoil a surprise...

Heavenly, ethereal, wholly holy and sacred, The Magic Numbers first full-length offering re-injects some good ol' appreciation of the finer and softer side of life into music, indulged in and divulged through all our common sensibilities and musings about this big confusion that we share that's called love and life and all the rest of it. A timeless record that comes at just the right time. Pure and divine through and through.