I stumbled upon San Diego’s Mrs. Magician completely by accident, and hot damn… this album rules. Their album ‘Spiritual Hangover‘ hits like a shot of cheap tequila chased with a sugary pop-rock mixer… burning at first, but leaving you desperately craving another round. As a newcomer to their sound, I expected the heavy, moody kinda winey bullshit promised by the album title. Instead, I was treated to a kick-ass fuzzy garage-rock party that sounds like The Beach Boys crashed a basement show with The Pixies and The Buzzcocks.
‘Spiritual Hangover‘ does a great job at wrapping pessimistic, hungover thoughts inside bright, undeniable hooks that you will be whistling in the grocery store checkout line. A perfect example is “Die in Cleveland,” an irresistibly upbeat opener that immediately sets a wild, energetic tone. Then there is the surf-soaked single “Dead Alive,” which keeps the momentum high and features a gorgeous, unexpected melodic vocal hook midway through the track. Finally, “Public Meltdown” perfectly encapsulates the band’s magic trick, pairing a chaotic, driving garage-rock energy with lyrics that make a personal crisis sound incredibly fun.
‘Spiritual Hangover‘ converted me from a clueless bystander into a certified fan in just under forty minutes. This album is a great piece of art that displays how to be delightfully cynical without ruining the vibe of a summer barbecue, or, better yet, of eating such amazing food outside a Milwaukee music venue. In fact, listening to this record feels exactly like crushing three al pastor tacos from the Frida’s Cocina food truck right in front of Cactus Club…. it’s satisfying and has me eating through their entire menu of tracks with absolute joy (I had an absolutely amazing steak burrito bowl when listening to this kick-ass release, but I do recommend all their food as I have not had a bad thing yet!!). Give this album a listen today; it’s fun, it’s quirky, it’s sonic, and it’s one of my favorite releases of the year.
Links of interest:
https://www.instagram.com/mrsmagicianmusic/
https://mrsmagician.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-hangover