Tragic Magic
Tragic Magic, also stylized as tragicmagic, is an album by the American band Madder Rose, released in 1997.[2][3] The band promoted the album by touring with Junior Cottonmouth.[4]
Tragic Magic | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1997 | |||
Label | Atlantic[1] | |||
Producer | Billy Coté | |||
Madder Rose chronology | ||||
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Production
The album was produced by bandmember Billy Coté, who also wrote most of the lyrics.[5][6] It was Madder Rose's first album with bass player Chris Giammalvo.[7] The band added elements of funk and hip hop to its sound.[8]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B-[10] |
The Evening Post | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Daily News | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Republican | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly wrote that the album "is frustratingly half-baked and suffers from near-funereal pacing ... Fortunately, Mary Lorson’s lighter-than-air vocals counter even the most sedative of tracks."[10] The Washington Post thought that "the melodies are sturdy ... It's tunes like 'Hung Up in You', more than the revisited folk-hop sound, that provides most of the album's appeal."[14] The Los Angeles Daily News praised the "innovative, bass-heavy sound and standout songs."[11] The Republican opined that "the seductive grooves of 'My Star', and the mildly appealing '(She's a) Satellite', are two of the only salvageable moments here."[13]
The Dayton Daily News stated: "Sometimes laid-back jazzy, sometimes spacey coffeehouse pop, always lyrically introspective, there really isn't a bad cut here."[15] Stereo Review called Coté a "vibey and tasteful popster," writing that he "dials in a music store's worth of tones-pristine arpeggios, scritchy wah washes, fuzzy flashbacks, surf solos, hypnotic noir motifs."[5]
AllMusic wrote that "as if to signal that they were still hip, Madder Rose incorporated heavy elements of trip-hop on Tragic Magic, and while that gambit failed for some of their peers, the band manages to blend the dance and guitar-pop well."[9]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "My Star" | |
2. | "Real Feel" | |
3. | "Float to the Top" | |
4. | "Hung Up in You" | |
5. | "Delight's Pool" | |
6. | "(She's a) Satellite" | |
7. | "Peter and Victor" | |
8. | "Best Friend" | |
9. | "Scenes from 'Starbright'" | |
10. | "Midnight on the Dot" | |
11. | "Don Greene" | |
12. | "Not Perfect" |
References
- Frampton, Scott (Aug 1997). "Madder Rose By Any Other Sound". CMJ New Music Monthly (48): 18.
- Blush, Steven (October 4, 2016). New York Rock: From the Rise of The Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 9781250083623 – via Google Books.
- "Madder Rose Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- "JUNIOR ACHIEVERS". The Sacramento Bee. Ticket. August 1, 1997. p. 3.
- Obrecht, Jas (Oct 1997). "Tragic Magic". Stereo Review. 31 (10): 111.
- Houlahan, Mike (14 Aug 1997). "Madder Rose: Tragic Magic". The Evening Post. Features. p. 24.
- Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 423.
- Wirt, Jon (September 12, 1997). "MADDER ROSE Tragic Magic". The Advocate. Fun. p. 7.
- "Tragic Magic - Madder Rose | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- "Tragic Magic". EW.com.
- Shuster, Fred (4 July 1997). "Sound Check". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L22.
- MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 704.
- O'Hare, Kevin (July 13, 1997). "Madder Rose, 'Tragic Magic'". The Republican. p. E6.
- "MADDER ROSE 'TRAGIC MAGIC' ATLANTIC". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- Rollins, Ron (27 June 1997). "RECORDING IN BRIEF". Dayton Daily News. Go!. p. 19.