Despite striking off their fictional messianic leader, psych-folk ensemble The Magnetic Zeros still trade in tired campfire joie de vivre.
Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros/ PersonA
It's no secret that the music industry thrives on reinvention. Artists like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber -- along with an army of people working behind them -- are well aware of the importance of staying on top of trends, be it music, fashion or anything in between. While it might seem like reinvention mostly applies to pop titans, artists from other genres are increasingly starting to feel the pressure of staying relevant. We've seen their reinvention manifested through unlikely musical collaborations over the past few years -- Linkin Park hopping on an EDM bandwagon with Steve Aoki; Coldplay cosying up with Beyonce; Paul McCartney hobnobbing with Rihanna and Kanye West.
In much the same way, American singer-songwriter Alex Ebert has his fair share of reinvention. Formerly a frontman of art-rock outfit Ima Robot, Ebert has reincarnated into Edward Sharpe, an all-loving leader of cult-like band The Magnetic Zeros. Armed with a troupe of overjoyed modern-day hippies and vocalist Jade Castrinos, Edward Sharpe charmed the world over with 2009's breakthrough single Home. Over the following few years, they continued to spread the message of love and good vibes, releasing their second and third records in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Fast forward to the present. Things have changed drastically; Donald Trump is running for president and people are growing more and more disillusioned. They just don't buy into the oozing optimism and unrealistic prospects of utopia any more. In other words, the neo-hippie charisma has now more or less overstayed its welcome. With that in mind, Ebert came up with a new strategy -- he drew a red line across the name Edward Sharpe on the album cover of their fourth LP, PersonA.
After listening to the 10 tracks on offer, it seems like the crossing off of names is symbolic more than anything else. The music is still, by and large, fashioned after '60s psychedelic and feel-good hippie folk. Seven-minute opening track Hot Coals kicks off with tender acoustic guitar and morphs into a jazzy psych-folk chorus: "Cold eats the flesh of broken hearts/Tender the strike of tinder gods … Embers across a rayless sky/Still warm my soul, I often cry." Clap-happy and life-affirming No Love Like Ours and Free Stuff readily recall Home, whereas tracks like Uncomfortable find Ebert resuming the role of a cult leader, zealously evangelising, "Uncomfortable, you've got to get uncomfortable!"
If PersonA is another of Ebert's attempt at reinvention, he fails miserably. With experimentation (ie New Orleans jazz elements) so few and far between, the record is simply another Edward Sharpe outing serving up surplus of naivete and flower-power breeziness. Sure, there are enough lushly constructed and tuneful ditties to go around, but let's face it, it's nothing we haven't heard from their previous albums.
THE PLAYLIST
MORG (featuring Pink Vivid Dream)/ U&ME
Bangkok-based electronic music label Comet Records has been prolific over the past few months, churning out fresh, new talents like Lobo Funk, Minus88 and Pyra that have gone on to spice up the local music scene. The latest addition on its roster is chillwave duo MORG, whose name taken after the Thai word for "fog". The duo, comprised of Pruet Chesadaphun and Panlop Maneekunti, prides itself in crafting hazy, fog-shrouded soundscapes. As such, their latest single U&ME is a fittingly dreamy affair that sees Vivid Dream's singer Chatchanok "Pink" Wongvachara on vocal duties. A match made in synthy heaven.
Roxette/ It Just Happens
It Just Happens is the lead single lifted from Swedish pop-rock duo Roxette's just-released 10th studio album, Good Karma. Here, the long-serving pair hearken back to their tried-and-tested formula, giving us a power ballad that instantly reminds us of a handful of their previous hits like Joyride, Spending My Time, Listen To Your Heart, Fading Like a Flower and everyone's seemingly go-to karaoke song It Must Have Been Love. Frontwoman Marie Fredriksson is in top form here as ever, delivering a powerful vocal performance worthy of a standing ovation.
Maxwell/ Lake by the Ocean
Veteran R&B singer-songwriter Maxwell has returned at long last with his first studio album in seven years. Titled BlackSUMMERS'night, the forthcoming LP is poised to be a sequel to 2009's BLACKsummers'night. According to the iconic crooner, lead single Lake By the Ocean "represents falling in love after a very tough trial period in life and finding contentment in the smallest things next to the biggest things". As far as the production goes, it's largely a classic Maxwell offering, featuring an after-hour soulful melody that brilliantly highlights his sensual and soaring falsetto.
James Blake/ Timeless
Mercury Prize winner James Blake has just confirmed that his long-awaited third studio album Radio Silence is finally finished and is on the horizon. Along with that great news, the British producer drops Timeless, a second cut following last year's lead single Modern Soul. Oozing ethereal eeriness and ghostly ambiance, the song finds Blake crooning over an exhilarating synth chord progression. While its release date is still TBA, the new record is said to feature collaborations from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Kanye West.
Tegan and Sara/ Boyfriend
Long-serving Canadian duo Tegan and Sara are back with their ninth studio album, Love You To Death. Here, the Quin sisters share with us the lead single Boyfriend, an effervescent synth-pop number in the tradition of their 2013 album, Heartthrob. "You treat me like your boyfriend/And trust me like a … like a very best friend," goes the chorus drawn from Sara's own personal experience of getting into a relationship with a girl who'd never dated a girl before. "You turn me on like you want your boyfriend/But I don't want to be your secret any more," she adds, issuing an ultimatum.
