4 OR 5 MAGICIANS are a four or five piece alternative rock outfit from Brighton, UK. They take most obvious influence from the golden era of American indie rock… Guided by voices, REM, Nirvana, Sebadoh, Dinosaur jr, Pavement, etc etc..The band have released two singles to date, 'Forever On The Edge' and double a-side 'Change The Record / Ideal Man', both of which were awarded single of the week status by Steve Lamacq, as well as picking up a stack of glowing reviews in all areas of the press, not least the NME who featured the band as one of their tips for 2009, and have labeled the songwriting of front-man Dan Ormsby as "simply magnificent".
Eagerly awaited debut album 'Empty, Derivative Pop Songs' is a pseudo-cynical, satirical collection of eleven high-octane, guitar driven, lyrical laments with the common theme of the folly of life, and the fallibility of man, which revels in its own struggle against imperfection. All tracks were recorded on a laptop in short blasts, in a rehearsal room with half-busted equipment, in under 18 hours total, for around £100. The lyrics ruefully grins at its own hypocrisy: "Way over your heads, you're too stupid to get my edgy, alternative rock songs / Well, if you think you do, the joke's on you, they're just empty, derivative pop songs", Ormsby sniggers on 'Change The Record'. The album is preceded by a free download single, with the aptly ironic title of 'Nice Little Earner' on October 19th. Dan (Vocals, Guitar) is joined live by Sam Clarke (Guitar), Ivan Berry (Bass), and Alex Wilkinson (Drums). Following a run of select London shows and festival appearances during the summer, the band will take their blistering and unpredictable live show on a mammoth 3 month tour of the UK incorporating all four countries commencing in late September. The Sound-Bites: "Brighton five-piece 4 or 5 Magicians are more exciting than the prospect of Paul Daniels actually fulfilling his long-running promise to leave the country under a Labour regime. With lyrics so slick they make Alex Turner sound like a spluttering old colonel struggling with a cream bun and equal parts lo-fi bedroom fuzz and glorious art-pop melody (think Supergrass meets Shellac) we're struggling to think of one solitary loser who won't like this band. They're going to be the new Manic Street Preachers, but with less tights and guy-liner" NME - Tip For 2009 / "The songs mainman Dan Ormsby comes up with are quite simply magnificent ... [Empty, Derivative Pop Songs] is massive!" Jamie Hodgson, NME New Music Editor / "I really like the juxtaposition of the sort of dismissiveness and confidence rubbing-up against each other...a clattering pop-noise that weaves the singer along" STEVE LAMACQ, on Radio 1 single of the week 'Forever On The Edge'. / "Such great song construction!" STEVE LAMACQ on 6music single of the week 'Change The Record'. / "the sort of lo-fi attack jam that Kurt Cobain would have creamed over" ROCKSOUND live review. / "very nearly stirring enough to make you put some pants on and run down to Capital FM with a big gun. Marvellously cynical alt.rock grubbiness. More please!" THE FLY on 'Change The Record'. / "A contender for the best lyric of the year ... Lo-fi indie rock at its best" 8/10 - DROWNEDINSOUND.COM / "more than a bit special" PLAYMUSIC Magazine / "At last a believeable British retort to the drawling rambles of Stephen Malkmus. Think Hefner's Darren Hayman fronting Guided By Voices. Ace." MUSIC WEEK / "Really, really exciting" + "SOOOO SOOOO GOOD!" + other such enthusings HUW STEPHENS, Radio 1. The Links: www.myspace.com/4or5magicians http://www.4or5magicians.co.uk Tracklisting: 1. I'm In The Band 2. Forever On The Edge 3. Behind Each Others Backs 4. Out Of My Hands 5. Form An Orderly Queue 6. Your Fictitious Character 7. Is This Your Ideal Man? 8. Nice Little Earner 9. Change The Record 10. Oh! Darwin 11. Preaching To The Conversed
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