REVIEW: Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship

"As a work of strict “indie-pop” Ship does its job fairly well and is well worth a listen. Beyond that though, it stands as a minor stopping point in a larger journey..."

In 2009 Here We Go Magic released Pigeons into the world to relatively widespread acclaim. (Pitchfork gave it a 7.5 at the time…re-issue will probably get a 13!!!!!) Fueled by a freak folk sense of urgency and what sounds like an army of bargain basement Casios, Luke Temple fashioned an odd collection of “pop” snippets that were pretty, but for the most part weightless. There’s a shabby charm to the record – driven mainly by Luke Temple’s glorious tenor/falsetto – and while chock full of potential,  the record never quite gets there.  On A Different Ship, Here We Go Magic hasn’t solved that problem, but they’ve most certainly done their best to try.  

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Daily Listen: Luke Temple - "How Could I Lie"

Full disclosure: We've sorta fallen in love with Luke Temple's new album Don't Act Like You Don't Care (released on Tuesday) here. So any chance we get to share a piece of it with you, well by gum, that's what we're going to do.

Temple's main project is a band you might have heard of called Here We Go Magic, but this isn't that.

This is Temple's fairly remarkable voice stripped down and paired with some gorgeous folk acoustics and maybe a group sing-a-long or two. And while it may have been recorded very early in his career (it's apparently been in the "can" for a while now) you wouldn't be able to tell. Hitting all the right marks at all the right moments, it is a charmingly simple record that does nothing less than satisfy for the duration of it's runtime. 

As we slip into Fall, this record is going to be getting a lot of play here ChunkyGlasses headquarters. We'll have a full review of the album up this weekend to convince you that this is a must buy, but until then take a listen to this, one of the strongest tracks on the record, and maybe you won't need our convincing.

Luke Temple - "How Could I Lie"

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Daily Listen - Luke Temple - Ophelia

Probably the best thing about music these days is how you can think you've heard everything, but then out of the blue someone drops something new and fantastic on your head. Luke Temple's (of Here We Go Magic fame) latest solo effort, Don't Act Like You Don't Care, is a rambling, folksy affair that recalls the works of classic artists the likes of Graham Nash as much as it seeks to reflect the more modern works of people like the late Jeff Buckley an M. Ward. Care most definitely travels all over the musical map, but it's all held in place by Temple's gorgeous voice and his ability as a songwriter to conjure up images that as vibrant as they are unforgettable. Check out this bit of the press release for a little bit more info:

"Before the success of his group Here We Go Magic, Luke Temple worked full-time as a plasterer.  At nights after work, he spent his hours crafting what would become Here We Go Magic's self-titled debut.  During the days he wrote a completely different set of songs in his head.  The resulting record Don't Act Like You Don't Care shines with clarity and daylight, in contrast to Here We Go Magic's hazy aquatic debut.After recording two critically acclaimed solo records for Mill Pond (2005, 2007) Temple's work still hadn't garnered much attention from the record-buying public.  Frustrated, but not defeated, he focused his creative energy into the writing of two amazing, but completely different records.  Initially referred to as "The Country Record," Don't Act Like You Don't Care was shelved due to the success of Here We Go Magic's self-titled debut.  Now, three years later, we're finally able to offer this incredible collection of folk-pop songs."

The album proper doesn't come out till August 30th, but you can hear the first single "Ophelia" right now and begin to get excited for what is going to be one of the best releases of the Fall. 

Luke Temple - Ophelia

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