 | | The Magic Numbers (photo: Andy Stubbs) |
Four softly-spoken, long-haired men and women of gentle demeanour played forty minutes of sun-drenched, late 60s Californian folk pop. The Magic Numbers produced some fine chinks of perfect loveliness, when the three-way acapella harmonies were all that could be heard, above the plastic clatter of cups at the bar. The highlight for me was first single, Hymn For Her, which seduced the loyal crowd to a whispering slumber with its lullabaic breeziness. I thought of campfires on stone beaches at midnight, ponchos, punch and acoustic guitar swayalongs. For many, The Magic Numbers may pluck a common human heartstring, but for me, their archaic hippy jangling was ultimately too saccharine to stomach.
 | | The Magic Numbers (photo: Andy Stubbs) |
Headliners for the evening, HAL wafted away the lazy lightness in an instant. Farty octave synthetic basslines and banshee-style theremin saved them from the brink of unremarkability on several occasions. The Turin Brakes vocal stylings and disco funk rhythmics were a peculiar combination, and at times, in force with the keyboards and tricolour vocal harmonies, hit the bullseye. Most of the rest of the time, the throwaway, straight love song lyrics dominated my disappointment. Both bands tonight were certainly competent and oozed loveliness. But I’m a tough girl, and neither were strong enough to crack my cynical shell. |
