Magnapop - Mouthfeel

Through the grunge “slacker” era of rock, very few bands are continuing to rock now that we’re halfway into the new decade.  Atlanta-based Magnapop has been chugging along and the ‘90s sound is still very much alive with their fourth release, Mouthfeel.

Magnapop has not shied away from their signature sound, picking up where bands like Belly and The Breeders had left off, yet Magnapop managed to bring their style into the 21st century with the likes of Rilo Kiley, The Peaches, and Sahara Hotnights.

This album is comprised of 11 brief tracks of sugary vocals with grunge-heavy guitars.  Tracks like “Think for Yourself” and “Pretend I’m There” should be on a soundtrack of any movie that involve troubled 20-somethings.  While some songs are quite repetitive and do drone on a bit (“California,” “Satellite”), Mouthfeel has a slew of catchy hooks that will satisfy new fans of female-fronted punk/pop as well as keep the ones that just love the spirit of old punk rock.

Highlights include the aggressive guitar licks in “The In-Between” and the sassy “PDX” with cooing vocals, thick bass lines and fast driving drum beats that is eerily reminiscent of the early works of Babes in Toyland, yet bring out the more modern side of bands like the Donnas.  “Pilgrim’s Prayer” is the closer anthem with Weezer-like guitars which fade away to a fond message, “thank you for being my friend.”

It’s uncertain that Mouthfeel will take Magnapop to a different direction in the world of garage rock, because with a new year comes a sense of desperation of “the next big thing” (remember the short-lived hype of ska and swing?).  But Mouthfeel does prove that there is a demand for revival of groundbreaking genres that evoke nostalgia, bands that we loved growing up during the birth of alternative rock.

www.daemonrecords.com