A Fine Mess
Posts tagged Magic Wands
New Magic Wands Remix
Jun 16th
Enchanting duo Magic Wands‘ EP Magic Love & Dreams is out this week (read my full review here) and while I was slightly disappointed with the low offering of new material on it, we now at least have a new remix to sink our teeth into. The equally enchanting Sean over at Battery In Your Leg has a contest where you can win the EP and a signed T-shirt from the band, so flick your wand and conjure your way over there before someone else nabs it!
Magic Wands – “Magic Love & Dreams”
May 11th
Finally, the promised EP by Magic Wands is here – Magic Love & Dreams. I’ve been thirsting to hear more from this love-duo since last year when they enchanted us “Black Magic” and “Teenage Love”. Surprisingly those tracks are two of the four on this EP, which makes me feel a bit cheated. I was expecting all new material, or at least more than just two songs. Sure they’ve been revamped a bit courtesy of producer John Hill, but they’re not very exciting anymore (especially not “Teenage Love”).
I was also hoping that the gorgeous demo of “Kaleidoscope Hearts” would be featured, but that was another disappointment (apparently it’s being released as an 7″ together with “Black Magic” instead).
It’s not all bad though, not at all: the remaining two songs, “Kiss Me Dead” (which has been on their MySpace pretty much since the beginning but now finally in good audio) and “Starships” are indeed quite magical. Shrilling guitars, instant hooks, boy/girl vocals and dark, dark love – what’s not to like about that? Overall Magic Wands almost sound like what New Order producing The Jesus and Mary Chain back in the 80′s might have been like. With some added fairy dust, that is.
The Magic Love & Dreams EP is set for release in May, 2009 via Bright Antenna (US, Japan) and Young and Lost Club (UK).
~ “Black Magic” ~
Magic Wands
Jul 27th
Perhaps it’s supposed to be endearing but the above picture kind of freaks me out. Ever since I saw an early TV adaptation of Narnia as a kid I’ve been a bit wary of creepy stuffed lions. Thankfully, Magic Wands have some really sweet tunes to make up for bringing my childhood fears back to haunt me. Plus, the story how the duo got together is actually rather endearing.
Chris and Dexy first met briefly in 2006 and didn’t get in touch again until a year later when Chris fell in love with a song he’d found on MySpace. As it turned out, said song (“Teenage Love”) just happened to by sung by – tada! – Dexy. Since they lived far apart they communicated mainly through e-mail and phone calls, even making songs together on the Internet. Apparently this is were the (in my opinion) creepy stuffed lion comes in – Chris and Dexy would send each other packages, such as toy lions, old records, candy and even handwritten poems. Yes folks, this is a love story.
The two finally met up in L.A., realized that they were destined to be together and somehow ended up in Nashville where they began recording music under the name of Magic Wands (a magic wand happened to be Dexy’s favorite gift that Chris had sent her). They are now set to release an EP in the fall.
The music of Magic Wands isn’t quite as sugary as one might think though – sure, they are very fond of things like magic, dreams and fantasy (and each other of course), all of which is reflected in their sound, but don’t except Rainbow Brite to jump out of your speakers. As much as their music is magical, Magic Wands are more like The Goblin King, you know, David Bowie’s character in “Labyrinth”: a bit dark, a bit rebellious and very seductive. To put it simply – they will put a hex on you and you will like it.
