Mages to play at Hymie’s, today at 3pm

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(“The Earthling Anthem” by Mages)

As a person too worn down to assume the best, my first reaction to a song like “The Earthling Anthem” is surprise – nobody really writes songs like that anymore, do they?  In fact, Mages do.  They have a full-length album and a five-track follow up EP (from which I took “The Earthling Anthem”) of positive, uplifting music.

The EP, Magestic, is not all sugar sweet chamber pop, although its best moments are.  “All Amounts” surrounds Amy O’Connor’s soaring voice in a lush arrangement that would have fit comfortably on the Brian Just Band’s debut disc (a favorite around here last year).

“Don’t Hang Around” is closer to the singer-songwriter tradition which fit the first Mages disc.  It also implies deeper influences in rootsy rock and country, with riffs that would sound like Crazy Horse if they were played on electric guitars.  You can hear Mages covering another 70s influence, the Band, in a video posted here.

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(“Don’t Hang Around”)

“Cold, Cold, Cold” (might have sold better last winter than this year) is a foot-stomper that recalls earlier rock/traditional hybrids like Levellers (does anybody remember Levellers?), not to mention awesome local bands like Chokecherry.  “Cold, Cold, Cold” promises to be a barn-stormer and I hope they’re planning to play it today.

Mages will play at Hymie’s today at 3pm.  We will not have any live music next Sunday, 2/5, because it’s Superbowl Sunday.  Don’t wanna watch the game?  Don’t wanna go record shopping?  You should go bowling.  I’ll bet Memory Lanes is totally empty during the fucking Superbowl.