Magic Man has grown a bit since its inception in 2010. Originally consisting only of vocalist Alex Caplow and guitarist/keyboardist Sam Vanderhoop Lee, Magic Man expanded to a quintet for the 2013 EP, "You Are Here." Their new studio album "Before The Waves" caters to the indie pop and synth pop crowd but fails to stand out among their contemporaries.
"Before The Waves" contains the sugary, sweet lyrics and bouncy production heard in almost every synth pop band these days. The group’s laptop-focused beginnings makes itself apparent through the use of catchy synths and cheery effects.
The inclusion of live drums and guitar elevate the album’s tracks and give it much needed weight. "Out of Mind" layers an adept guitar solo over the saccharine beats dominating the song. While some of the electronic production grows stale rather quickly, the upbeat grooves of songs like "Waves" will stay in your head for days.
Magic Man’s strongest trait comes from frontman Caplow’s nostalgic singing. His voice, a calming baritone, evokes the exuberant stylings of classic 80’s pop songs. Caplow’s flexibility gives Magic Man some diversity as well.
Caplow goes from from singing downbeat lyrics like "But every single day that passes by is making me more dishonest" on "Too Much" to chanting uplifting sing alongs like "So cover my skin with your sun-kissed light/There’s a bonfire burning tonight" on "Texas"; the tonal shifts to avoid being inconsistent or hackneyed.
While Magic Man’s lyricism never falters, the group’s overall sound offers only temporary enjoyment. The summery production and Caplow’s crooning owes largely to many bands and genres that either came before them or continue to work today.
"Before The Waves" represents a ephemeral amalgamation of its many influences that falls short of creating a permanent style. The potential definitely exists for Magic Man, so hopefully, the group will pursue charting more distinct territory for its next effort.
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 8/7/2014 under the headline "Magic Man’s ‘Before The Waves’ derivative, but fun"]
