The music industry, as most others, is gradually winding down operations for the year, but we continue to get some really great music in the mailbox, most of which is set to come out in early 2009. So in a way we actually exist in February 2009. You are wearing striped leggings that your new Valentine gave you and they make your knees look knocked but don't hold that against him, he's a solid dude. Just putting that out there, use it however.
Anyway, one of our recent favorite future releases is the self-titled album from Greenpoint, Brooklyn's Here We Go Magic aka Luke Temple. It opens with "Only Pieces," which we swore sampled Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" but actually is just a loop of Temple softly singing What's the use in dying dying if I don't know when? There are only pieces pieces of me. What's the use in dying dying if I cannot see? Easy mistake. What follows are a bunch of quietly psychedelic, gentle philosophical jams homemade (literally) by Temple. We know we say "jam" a lot, but in this case it connotes actual rhythms that you might not expect after reading all those soft words. You might not throw this on at any dance parties next year, but don't be surprised if a Sunday afternoon play draws a crowd of waltzing longhairs to the sidewalk outside your window. A good example is "Tunnelvision," available on TheFADER.com, and playing real loud right now as hand-sized snowflakes fall on Manhattan. If you're in New York, you can request it from Temple and his band tonight at the Bell House in Brooklyn. Here We Go Magic is out on February 17th on Western Vinyl.
Download: Here We Go Magic, "Tunnelvision"