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Album Details

• Artist: Magnet
• Album: On Your Side
• Label: Ultimate Dilema / East West
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-11-21

Magnet sounded familiar on first listen. I hadn't gone through the one page that came with the CD. I try to have a least one unbiased listened through a CD before that time. The singer's voice sounded familiar, as well as sounding like a couple other British bands like Travis and a little like Radiohead. After the first line I realized why it was familiar. Even Johansen was a fellow that I reviewed a couple of years ago and recall enjoying his albums very much. Well, it turns out that Magnet is his band as well. That's where the voice comes. Now the band's arrangements on On Your Side are lush and very interesting, although a little on the melancholy side. Magnet also had some help from The High Llama's Sean O'Hagan who created the string arrangements. They add a lot to the sound that becomes the full album. The entire album is a pleasure to listen to and anyone who like the gentler side of British pop music, along the lines of The Doves or Travis will enjoy Magnet. Some of the arrangements even border on something Bjork might attempt ("The Day We Left Town"). Even enjoyed some success playing alongside The Doves, Gemma Hayes and Ed Harcourt, laying down a path for the release of this album. One unexpected highlight is Magnet's cover of "Lay Lady Lay" with Gemma Hayes dueting with Even Johansen.

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