CD Reviews

The Magic Numbers
Self-titled
The Magic Numbers' lead singer, Romeo Stodart, said of their self-titled CD, "I feel that we've made a real, classic debut album" and after one listen, it's hard to disagree.
Easily one of the best pop albums of 2005, the release is filled with hand-clapping, dreamy vocals, and a diverse range of songs influenced by the '60s, '70s and '80s.
The two-pair brother-sister quartet scored a Top 20 hit with "Forever Lost" and went on to sell over 100, 000 albums in six weeks. For a band that pretty much came out of nowhere, it's rather obvious that they're on to something.
Probably the catchiest song from the record is, "Love Me Like You," with dreamy backing vocals and a swinging chorus.
The duet "I See You, You See Me," is absolutely beautiful, with Stodart and Gannon crooning, "I wanna tell you that I'll never love anyone else / You wanna tell me that you're better off by yourself."
Although every song seems to be about love, (three of the tracks contain the word) the theme steers from tiresome and instead each song presents a new feel, from melodic to commercial pop to soulful folk.
In fact, every track is a magic number and try as I might, I really cannot find any flaws on this debut that are worth mentioning. If you still have not heard this band yet, give it a few months. (EMI)
- Kristen De Palma
Mae
The EverglowAccording to Mae's Web site, Mae is an acronym for Multisensory Aesthetic Experience, a study described by Mae's drummer, Jacob Marshall as, "How our senses interact and perceive information and then attempts to translate that information into terms the other senses can comprehend . What would music look like if you could see it?"
Wow. Essentially, Mae answers this question with The Everglow.
The album begins with a voice that asks you to turn the page every time you hear a certain drumming noise, and ends by thanking you, reminiscent of "read along" books for children. Every song in between is brilliant.
With a heavy focus on piano throughout the entire album, the incredibly sweet and amazingly un-clich "The Ocean", with lines such as, "I need you here tonight, like the ocean needs the waves," and the swirling "Someone Else's Arms" are standout tracks for me.
The lyrics on the album describe a journey from doubt and insecurity to completeness, with the last song "The Sun and the Moon" ending the album with, "So when you say 'forever' can't you see? You've already captured me."
The Everglow is the sweetest album I've heard in a long time and when listened to in its entirety from beginning to end it makes me feel rejuvenated and restores my faith in the world. (Tooth & Nail)
- Courtney Kaminski
Various
Numbers From the Beast

Most tribute albums suck. I often don't buy them because they butcher, slaughter and destroy massively good songs/bands by trying to be creative.
The creativity is piss poor, because . well, the band that wrote the song is great and the artists that are paying tribute to them don't have a clue what to do with that quality.
Numbers From the Beast: An All-Star tribute to Iron Maiden, is flat-out great. It's a heart-warming, metal mania, which shows enough creativity to not be piracy and an ample amount of the Maiden skill and spirit that got them to the top of the industry.
The best moments of the album comes in "Fear of the Dark". The music doesn't stray far from the original, but Chuck Billy (Testament) gives a dark edge to the song that actually improves it.