Magoo / Snow Patrol
London Borderline
Snow Patrol are gathering speed. They're sounding bigger, looking cooler, and playing some pretty good songs. They didn't come to change the world, but they didn't come to be the Stereophonics either. Which is good. Lookout for the impending avalanche.
Magoo have come pretty far too, and they are rapidly approaching escape velocity. Tonight their stage door seems to have revolved again, as they are without the old keyboard player. Such additional noise as is needed is supplied at the appropriate moments by the roadie feller. Mostly they do without though as, in the face of slightly ropey sound, they turn up those guitars and proceed to do all but tear down the Borderline. This here is the finest indie pop noise bred on this side of the Atlantic - think GBV but coolly English and somewhat more patient. Amidst the noise, those neo-falsetto vocals and powerful little pop hooks climbing all over your ears really hammer home the cool of songs like 'Swiss Border Patrol' and 'A to Z and Back Again'. 'Your Only Friend' is a sublime illustration of control and atmosphere that shows exactly how good a live band Magoo have become. The best thing about it is that they, like Snow Patrol, clearly WANT to play and to make it a real show - instead of just trotting out the album like so many bands do these days. Not only that but we get a slew of new songs from the imminent album that show some serious development. A bit less scattershot, a bit longer and a bit more solid, these songs hint at Magoo finding a voice that is truly their own. I can't wait to hear it.
