The Runaway

It has been worth while waiting for The Magic Numbers’ third album

Quite a pretty British quartet The Magic Numbers – brothers and sisters Stodart and Gannon – has already recommended itself as a very original, independent, always searching music collective. Releasing its eponymous debut work in 2002 the band has drawn the audience’s attention at once due to its unique sounding in which various styles and directions got united. Soft, gentle intonations in the memorable tunes, harmonious instrument-vocal patterns, smart lyrics about life and relationships – all of it was present in The Magic Numbers’ material. Only a year later the sophomore effort called Those The Brokes was released to prove even more interesting and attractive than the debut record. It seemed like the quartet was writing a song per day and one could soon expect their story’s continuation. Yet the things are not that predictable – the musicians have taken a four year break and their third work The Runaway is released only this summer. It goes without that it has been worth while waiting for it and The Magic Numbers has once again surprised the fans with its most wonderful and soulful album to date.

The Runaway is refined with splendid string arrangements

Perhaps the main peculiarity of The Magic Numbers’ third album is the presence on most tracks of the string arrangements made by late Robert Kirby who worked on Nick Drake’s album Five Leaves Left – they add maximum sensuality to the already beautiful tunes on The Runaway. The album opens with a wonderfully beautiful composition The Pulse with a memorable chorus, and the following song Hurt So Good pleases with contagious guitars and vocal harmonies, underlining Romeo Stodart’s splendid vocals. A livelier composition Why Did You Call? is the first contender to become a pop rock hit conquering not only with an amazing rhythm and the male and female voices combination but also with surprisingly realistic emotions both in the instruments and in singing. Unusual percussion, a very beautiful and soft arrangement and an a cappella piece performed by the vocalists make Restless River one of the most interesting moments on the album, whereas a nostalgic track Only Seventeen will leave nobody indifferent due to its lyrics telling of the pleasant youth reminiscences. Another highlight is The Song That No One Knows with a marvelous melody webbed of violins and guitars accomplished by all the members’ voices. The album closes with a romantic and soulful composition I'm Sorry containing a beautiful hidden track. The Limited Edition of the album also offers a number of live songs performed at the Wilton Music Hall.

New, mature and very original sound aspects

Having listened to The Magic Numbers’ all three works the audience can make sure that this four-piece keeps evolving all the time. There are no repetitions among their songs, and yet each album presents an integral creation, built on the musicians’ admirable vision of music. Complicated, many-layered arrangements on The Runaway and the unbelievably beautiful vocal parts have become another prove of the fact that the search of the beautiful can go on forever. It is interesting that the band has made a slight decline towards heavier instruments on the third record – there are literarily a couple of grams less pop melodies and more rock. Yet the base is always that very inimitable cocktail of folk and indie-rock the line-up of which is known only to The Magic Numbers and will probably remain the two pairs of siblings’ family secret. Unlike previous records slow ballads prevail here telling about the nuances of relationships and various shades of love. No doubt the album The Runaway can be considered the best in The Magic Numbers’ discography for all the best that has ever been in its works is concentrated in it and some new, mature and very original sound aspects have appeared to deserve all possible praise.