I’m pretty sure the adjective “dreamy” is over-used by this here excuse of a reviewer. Can’t justify it nor will stop using it in the foreseeable future, especially since somehow (PR people? Destiny? Last.fm recommendations? Luck? God?) I keep gravitating towards stuff that’s atmospheric, thick in layers and full of bubbly atmospheres that flow throughout.

Oh, Magic was recorded mostly live (loved the aborted intro for ‘On the morning of his farewell’), which might explain the very organic flow of the tracks. There are very vocal sides in the war of  track by track versus live recording and my take on the issue is that it is a case-per-case scenario. In the case of Like Pioneers, 95% sure it’s for the best (I always have a 5% margin of error).

From the get go, it’s a very endearing affair. ‘Champion’ has no pretence of being anything else but a welcoming mat. Then you step on it and find that there was a trapdoor beneath. Don’t you hate that? Swelling guitars and a lot of reverb for the ones who like stuff hazy. This is a nice signature sound, as the reverb never becomes muddy enough to hide the notes played by the band. ‘Good neighbor policy finds the band’ at its dreamiest, with a bassline that flirts filthily with our inner eardrums.

Much has been said about the mammoth called ‘Boggs’ and,yup, the reputation is well represented by the hype. The little indie ditty outlives the 3:30 time count curse without falling into Baroque stylings that would muddy the enjoyment of the listener. It is dreamy and the time spent here is well rewarded, the instrumental bridge is simply gorgeous. It is a bridge towards a cliff, but thankfully, gravity does not apply here, you just soar along towards the cuddly ending that is ‘July 2nd’, more understated than the previous opus, it’s a natural end, almost a quiet one (some rocking bits, though).

Yup, Oh, Magic is dreamy, poppy rock for you wondering what that dream about being a kid with a jetpack meant. Just don’t shoot Like Pioneers with that raygun. We need ’em around.

Words: Sam J. Valdes Lopez

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