With half the musical world seemingly willing to sacrifice substance for style and whatever fickle fashion statement seems relevant this week and the other half trying their hardest to push the boundaries of genre, taste and even common sense to be artful and different, Magazine Gap pass through the middle ground like a cool breeze in a stifling heat. Not for them the smoke and mirrors of those artists who have concentrated on marketing over creativity, instead they forge a wonderful alternative slap bang in the middle ground.
Theirs is a commercial sound, one built of simple melody and accessible, clean-limbed, honest musicality whose charm comes from the fact that the song, not the band, takes centre stage. And why not, In Two Minds is a great song, one that is reflective, dwelling on the complex nature of the human condition and the doubts that affect everyone and every relationship. Even the monochrome approach to the video reinforces the fact that the song, not its creators are what is being showcased here.
And the same can be said for the production. Although the number of musicians involved go beyond the core band to actually reach double figures, there is a wonderful attention to detail that results in understated textures being built up and avoiding the dense and confusing musical delivery which many bands end up with when ego rather than elegance becomes the goal.
Maybe if more bands concentrated less on the packaging and more on the contents, pop music would be a much healthier place.
