Brooklyn-based group’s influences shine through in debut album

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On the self-titled debut album from the Brooklyn-based band, Here We Go Magic, the group mixes a traditional indie-pop aesthetic with a variety of unlikely influences, ranging from Paul Simon to the ambient work of Brian Eno, with varied results.

The opening track, “Only Pieces,” is comprised of skittering percussion, warm analog synthesizer washes, afro-pop acoustic guitar play and vocalist Luke Temple’s beautiful croon.

When Temple asks, “What’s the use in dying, dying/If I don’t know when?” it’s hard not to think of Graceland-era Paul Simon. In fact, had Simon been born some 40-plus years later, it would be likely that “Graceland” would’ve sounded something like this.

There are plenty of moments throughout the album’s 38 minutes that bring to mind other possible influences.

On “Fangela,” the band crafts a wistful, autumnal mood that’s indicative of “Garden State” indie-poppers, The Shins.

In a similar fashion, “Tunnelvision,” a beautiful tumbling folk tune that picks up layers upon layers of vocals in a sort of snowballing effect, brings to mind “Sung Tongs”-era Animal Collective.

However, while Animal Collective relied heavily on a wild, almost primal approach to arrangement – both vocally and instrumentally – Here We Go Magic achieves a similarly layered and psychedelic atmosphere without the Collective’s polarizing strangeness, resulting in the album’s most transcendent and gorgeous track.

After the album’s fourth track, “Tunnelvision,” the record takes a noticeable dip in its level of quality and enjoyability.

“Ghost List,” “I Just Want To See You Underwater”, “Babyohbabyijustcantstanditanymore,” and “Nat’s Alien” are all ambient sound-collage experiments which feature none of the unique songwriting talent displayed throughout the album’s first half.

While ambient music, if done well, is certainly enjoyable in the right time and place, Here We Go Magic fail to provide the listener with any real incentive to make it through these tracks.

Traditional ambient music, specifically the late-70′s work of ambient music pioneer, Brian Eno, often has a sort of amorphous quality, slowly shifting and changing shape over a usually long period of time, while Here We Go Magic’s definition of ambient is static and entirely uninteresting.

After the long and barren stretch of ambient sound-collage that comprises the majority of the album’s last half, Here We Go Magic offers closing track “Everything’s Big.” The song is a derelict, bluesy romp, bringing to mind the Beatles-in-the-garage aesthetic of lo-fi indie rockers, Dr. Dog.

While the song is certainly far more interesting than the droning ambient tracks that precede it, it’s hard for the listener not to feel cheated after sitting through 15-plus minutes of uninteresting experimentation just for this rather predictable pop tune, especially after witnessing what the band is capable of in the album’s first half.

If anything, the album is a wonderful taste of what this newly-born band is capable of. While it may suffer greatly from some readily apparent pacing issues, it offers a handful of indie-pop gems that should keep listeners warm throughout these frigid winter months.

Here We Go Magic will be released on Feb. 24 by Western Vinyl.

features@cm-life.com