NEW SOUNDS: THE LIBRARY IS ON FIRE

THE LIBRARY IS ON FIRE
MYSPACE
HOMETOWN: Brooklyn
ALBUM: Magic Windows, Magic Nights (Fill In The Blank Records)

If you've had up to your lids with electro-indie/hipster indie and the like, then I suggest you pick up a copy (or download it) of "Magic Windows, Magic Nights" by Brooklyn's THE LIBRARY IS ON FIRE. If everything is in a 20 year cycle, and the '90's are back, look no further than TLIOF to give you that Dinosaur Jr punch in the mouth that's missing from the mix. This album I'm still just catching up to and it will probably take another month to begin to process it, it's that good.

After a little intro, the track "Magic Bumrush Heartz" comes in and makes you remember why Nirvana snapped us out of Debbie Gibson-land at the start of that decade. The band is a trio, another comparison to the previously mentioned gods of grunge, comprised of Steve Five, Pete Sustarsic and Mark Shue. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the beauty of a trio is that there is no where to hide, each player has to bring it or it's obvious. This bunch brings it and couldn't hide if they wanted to, some neighbor would be banging on the wall and calling the cops. The ending to "Cinematic Idea" is so big and furious that you feel like you were paddled so hard you won't be able to go potty for weeks.

They recorded 'Magic Windows, Magic Nights' in 2 weeks with Guided by Voices producer/member, Todd Tobias in Ohio in January on an analog 4-track, and it has that working class, Midwestern feel to it by lacking any attempt to chase the buzz band tail. The album is all smash-mouth football, it has plenty of slow moving, crunching numbers, but even still has endings that turn on you, like on "Smoke & Mirrors". “I Miss You So Much, It Hurts So Bad,” is just fuzzy.

For me, it just feels good to rawk! Bravo to this full-length, all 15 songs worth, because it takes a lot these days to get anyone to give a new band a chance past 1-3 songs, and these guys deliver the payoff throughout.

Magic Windows, Magic Nights
Fill In The Blank Records 2010