Smell the Magic

Smell the Magic is the second studio album by American rock band L7, released in 1990 by Sub Pop.[8] Originally issued as a 12" EP containing only the first six songs, it was reissued on CD in July 1991, expanded to album length with three more tracks: "Packin' a Rod," "Just Like Me," and "American Society." The opening track "Shove" was released as the band's first single.

Smell the Magic
Studio album by
L7
ReleasedSeptember 1, 1990
Recorded1989
Studio
Genre
Length29:36
LabelSub Pop[1]
ProducerJack Endino[2]
L7 chronology
L7
(1988)		 Smell the Magic
(1990)		 Bricks Are Heavy
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Christgau's Consumer GuideA[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide8/10[7]

Critical reception

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music called the album "a raucous, grunge-flavored blast."[5] Trouser Press wrote that "L7 still brings the noise, but with a melodicism that isn’t as evident on the first album."[9]

Rolling Stone placed Smell the Magic at #37 in their list of the 50 Greatest Grunge Albums, noting that "they were one of the few non-Seattle bands signed to Sub Pop," and the album "was an electric shock in a sea of grey." Likewise, the article mentions L7's formation out of Los Angeles' metal scene, then acting as a crossover act, and states conclusively that Smell the Magic is one of the "most widely cited as an inspiration by the next wave of punk and riot grrrl bands".[10]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Shove"Suzi Gardner, Donita Sparks3:10
2."Fast and Frightening"Gardner, Sparks2:37
3."(Right On) Thru"Jennifer Finch3:13
4."Deathwish"Sparks, Finch, Demetra Plakas3:45
5."Till the Wheels Fall Off"Gardner, Sparks3:43
6."Broomstick"Gardner, Sparks, Finch3:49
7."Packin' a Rod"Scott Morrow2:08
8."Just Like Me"Gardner, Sparks, Finch, Plakas, Dusty3:32
9."American Society (Eddie and the Subtitles cover)"Eddie Joseph, Mike Patton3:53
Total length:29:36

Personnel
L7
Guest
  • Mike Patton - guest vocals
Production
  • Jack Endino - producer
  • Michael James - engineer
  • Daniel Rey - engineer
  • Randall Martin - logo
  • Charles Peterson - photography
  • Howard Rosenberg - photography
  • Jeff Price - art director

References
  1. "L7's Smell the Magic: 30th Anniversary Edition featuring all 9 songs remastered & available together on vinyl for the first time". Sub Pop Records.
  2. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 698.
  3. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Smell the Magic - L7". Allmusic. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  4. Christgau, Robert (2000). "L7: Smell the Magic". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan. p. 185. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved 2017-02-05.
  5. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 48.
  6. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 500. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone l7 album guide.
  7. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 231.
  8. "The Rough Guide to Rock". Rough Guides. November 8, 2003 – via Google Books.
  9. "L7". Trouser Press. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  10. Grant, Sarah. "50 Greatest Grunge Albums". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
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