Seven Circle Sunrise: "Beauty In Being Alone" ... album review
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Here we have a hard-to-nail-down five piece. There are a ton of influences here, yet they manage to craft material that defies a simple label. “Enigmatic Groove Punk” is about as accurate a handle as I could dream up after listening to their eclectic mix of straight ahead standards to almost a 180 degree “Sir Fish”, which is my #1 pick for this batch of songs. Almost psychedelic in nature, the contrast is deep, opposing any defining cornerstone one may be led to believe.. The individuality of each song conveys a desire to play musical “whack a mole”, with a 4/4 mallet with the odd sideways change here and there to keep us guessing. It would seem there is a huge desire to involve all band members in the writing process, as the bass guitar is showcased often, which is rare outside the virtuoso bass-guy territory. A no-fear approach of topics on the darker side of life with a smattering of edgy, sub-culture references force the ears to process the lyrics despite the rhythm. Bluesy overtones and clever hooks solidify the intent to produce a high quality product for an ever changing scene. I get the impression most of the material is recorded live, but I could be mistaken. Sure, there are influences that stand out, a few production issues,…….but the writing shows depth within the confines of a couple handfuls of tunes, with a green light for growth and development…..Uncountable Kings…..Have a look-see….What are your thoughts? link to play..."Sir Fish" at Podomatic Cheerz, UM Facebook......Uncle Marcus  Magic Giant……an indie-folk three piece out of southern California. Their bio gives the impression that destiny played a role in their continuing in the business. I’d say the “magic” part of their name is no happy accident but a testament to tenacity of “hanging in there”. This is an example of the mysterious ways of modern pop culture and the bizarre music industry.
With the four songs I was given to have a look at, I immediately got the impression that these guys have a really great utilization of soaring harmonies, with a range of movement that touches the better part of three octaves. This range is maturely executed and provides a clinic on how to write enormous chorus breaks and breakdowns to force the crowd into joining in on the tunes whether they like it or not. The band instrumentation also provides a few moments of: “Did I just hear banjo?”. The parts are simplistic, yet necessary and blend together perfectly, weaving in and out of the songs while complementing the vocals, providing an anchor for Austin to craft his wide interval structures that are part of their signature. The songs are inherently dark in nature that is somewhat misleading with the catchy hooks. Almost a Pop contradiction, since the tunes are soaring with more movement than the bathroom at a shady buffet restaurant. Joking aside, these guys have the gem “Glass Heart”. I must have listened to this tune a hundred times in this process. The build of the song takes a listener from somber intro to an immediate barn burner. The chorus is genius with a falsetto answer to the normal verse, with an outstanding chordal movement, with sneaky dark lyrics that you don’t seem to notice till you realize them. Exceptional art from these guys would prime up any live situation. The upbeat nature, regardless if they were singing about puppy-love or capital punishment, proves that harmony and melody win every time. Promoters would be wise to pick up these guys as an opener in an appropriate lineup of a wide assortment of shows. Very diverse band that deserves to continue on as the “Magic Giant” they are. Cheers, UM link to play "Glass Heart" at Podomatic www.magicgiant.com Uncle Marcus SMT (former major record label affiliate scout for Road Runner Records website) |
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