The Magic City. The Magic City

New Zealand and Boston. All added up this may be the two geographical locations that popped up most on this blog in the last seven to nine years. Where New Zealand is concerned, I'm always wondering what is in the water there causing all this brilliance. For Boston that's not a question with all that tea having gone into the harbour. Today it's Boston's turn but with a twist, because if I would have had to guess, I'd have said London and more specifically Suede with a new singer.

The Magic City has been on the blog before with two singles in 2023 and 2024. What I'm reading there is consistent with what I'm hearing on my headset. All sorts of alternative and indie rock come by, with some powerpop as an extra flavour added to the whole. With two singers David Jackel, also on guitar and synth, and Mike Quinn, also on bass, the band has two front men, of which Jackel is regularly going for his inner David Bowie and Brett Anderson when singing. The other two members are Adam Anderson (lead guitar, vocals) and Ken Marcou (acoustic and electric drums).

What strikes me foremost when listening to The Magic City is the fun the members have in presenting us their music. They are obvious fans of several styles of (Brit)poprock and manage to write their own originals that match the quality of the originals of Suede. Take 'Don't Forget Me When She Gone'. This song could have been a part of Suede's debut album with ease. That band is now its thirty plus year and The Magic City is releasing its debut album. The members do have a long track record of other bands of which one, The Daylillies, can be found on this blog as well. The song in the middle of the album is one of the best on it. Yes, it is very familiar in sound but far from a rip off. This is as good as Suede can wish for (and still is in 2026).

But let's go back to the beginning. Just listen to the bang with which 'The Magic City' enters my ears and life. An electic guitar is coming to life slowly and the band kicks in, creating the light and the shade within thirty seconds. 'Ozma Is My Shadow', the single that preceded the album, is the visiting card of the album and band. Listen to the drum part Ken Marcou is playing. All the holding back and hitting extra he does on a supertight snare drum sound. More Therapy than Suede. It gives the song an oomphh in its Britpop. The song pulls me straight into the album, making me want to hear more.

It's not all U.K., because 'A Series Of Chemicals' has the kind of quality that a band like Nada Surf has. The guitars are louder, like The Caulfields played in the 1990s. But then both these bands are more U.K. oriented in the sense of working towards the perfect pop song anyway. The "aahs" The Magic City's members sing, is a tell-tale sign of where their ambition lies. You come very close, gentlemen.

It is this variation in the approach to its songs that gives 'The Magic City' the extra quality push. The band is able to work on the arrangement of songs in such a way, that it presents surprises within songs as well. In fact, the album full of them, making me like it ever more. 'The Magic City' is one of the nicest surprises of 2026 thus far. "Come and get it", they sing in the 2023 single 'Roadrunner vs. Your Mother", also on this album. If I were you, I'd follow its advice.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

 

You can listen to and order 'The Magic City' here:

https://themagiccityofficial.bandcamp.com/