Artist: Magic Arm
Title: Make Lists Do Something
Label: Switchflicker+Peacefrog
Genre: Indie
Bitrate: 198kbit av.
Time: 00:51:13
Size: 74.27 mb
Rip Date: 2009-04-28
Str Date: 2009-05-18
01. Widths And Heights 3:38
02. Bootsy Bootsy 2:59
03. Outdoor Games 4:33
04. Move Out 2:42
05. The Coach House 3:08
06. Getting The Way 5:37
07. Slates On A Roof 3:34
08. Six Cold Feet Of Ground 3:53
09. Rested Bones 4:06
10. Daft Punk Is Playing At My House 3:20
11. People Need Order 4:09
12. Sound Of The Night 9:34
Release Notes:
Make Lists Do Something is the debut album from Magic Arm and features
the singles 'Bootsy Bootsy', 'Outdoor Games' and 'Widths & Heights'
Magic Arm - who, in 2009, you will see erroneously described as a
singer-songwriter; laptop-folk troubadour; and more - is otherwise
known as Marc Rigelsford. Like Beck, Beta Band or Adem, Magic Arm is a
sonically curious soul who fuses folk, rock and effervescent
electronics. But, as reference points, none of those three quite hit
the spot.
It helps that so little (outside of the Beach Boys and "early"
McCartney) has obviously influenced the Magic Arm sound. You might
expect him, given his love of bleeps and farty electronic squelches, to
be a big fan of everything from Kraftwerk to Autechre. Not so. "Buying
a Yamaha CS-10 in Cash Converter was the biggest influence on my
sound," he says, dryly, before talking about his love of Gwen Stefani,
Dizzee Rascal, Peaches and Gnarls Barkley. "I'm literally trying to
write pop music," says Marc, "but it never comes out that way. There's
always a dark edge to it."
Quite. On the album, Magic Arm's smart update of an old Leroy Carr
blues song, 'Six Cold Feet Of Ground' (which he turns into a desperate,
hurtling, computerised gabbled plea for forgiveness), appears alongside
songs called, darkly, 'Sound Of The Night' and 'Rested Bones'. "What
can I say?" says Magic Arm, trying to dodge the question. "I'm a moody
Cancerian." Listen closely to the ostensibly larky singles 'Bootsy
Bootsy' ("Inside everyone, I hear the end, and that's ominous.") and
'Widths & Heights' - a "bitter" love song - and behind that brash
folk-pop exterior, there is clearly trouble at the emotional mill.
Not that Magic Arm will explain why, or reveal many of the close
biographical details which inspired these songs. In an age of emotional
incontinence, he is wary, uncomfortable with the idea of explaining
himself to strangers. He can articulate vulnerability in song; but, in
person, he needs to keep those songs at (Magic) arms' length. "I find
lyrics difficult. I can spend hours and hours over one line. 'What am I
giving, or not giving, away here? Do I sound like an idiot?' You're
right, on the album, there's a lot of happy music undercut by
sentiments that are quite bleak. But isn't that how music should work?
It should fool you, slightly."
He is reticent to spill, you suspect, precisely - and slightly
ironically - because he feels the songs so keenly. "I want to move
people emotionally. But, primarily, I want to move myself. For me,
writing the songs is emotionally cathartic."
Whilst such ambitious projects often shine in the studio, on the stage
many a 21st century one-man-band has come unstuck. Not so Magic Arm.
Early solo performances led Samuel Beam of the much loved Iron & Wine,
to hail Marc "the master of the loop pedal" and he wasn't wrong. More
recently though Marc has abandoned this tricksy bit of kit and has been
taking to the stage with a real live band. No longer focussed on
layering up live-sampled layers of sound, the Magic Arm live show has a
new passion and energy that give the songs a life beyond the
recordings.
So much music is safe, predictable, a commodity, but Magic Arm is here
to remind you that it can still be liberating, messy and powerful.
Radio 1's Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens, and Marc Riley, are already fans.
He has supported the likes of Beirut, Iron & Wine and James Yorkston.
Steve Lamacq declared Magic Arm's Glastonbury festival debut a
"highlight", while the Manchester Evening News have dubbed him: "The
most innovative and sparkling new musician in the city."