The Magic Numbers albums
	Band Members:     Romeo Stodard - Guitar, Vocals                         Michele Stodard - Bass                         Sean Gannon - Drums                         Anglea Gannon - Backup Vocals? Best Album: The Magic Numbers Biggest Influences: The Mama's and the Papa's, The Beach Boys, The Carpenters                                                          2005                                                          The Magic Numbers -  6/8 This band hails from England, but with a lead singer like Romeo Stoddard, it hardly matters where they came from. The man has such a distinct, perfect voice for pop music voice, that it sounds as though the band spawned from a baby's cradle. And pop music they make: The Magic Numbers is pure pop that recalls various bands from the Elephant 6 collective, but also older pop master like The Mama's and the Papa's and Abba. The album has a free feeling, and some of the songs are these long sculptures of ideas that go in many directions at once. For the most part it is glorious, like the hummable tunes of "love me like you", "don't give up the fight", and one of the best pop singles in a long time, "forever lost". That last song alone makes the album worth the price of admission. Other tunes are often sprawling, and sometimes it works ("mornings eleven", "long legs", the bonus track "hymn for her"), while sometimes it falls flat on its face ("this love", "try", the annoying "i see you you see me"). It is nice to see such a carefree album be carefree in song length, but maybe they should have cut a couple of ideas off so the album would not have been an HOUR LONG! As it is, the good moments of the record outweigh the lesser moments by far, and I would never say the album is anything but enjoyable; but for a debut, it is a tad lengthy for such glee filled music. It should be noted that the band has a very distinct sound of its own, and Romeo Stoddard is a great songwriter. Anyways, if pop in the vain off the old 60's bands is your thing, I don't see anyway you would not like The Magic Numbers. It has the power to win you over. - Trevor e.y. 1.mornings eleven- 4 2.forever lost- 4 3.mule- 3 4.long legs- 3 5.love me like you- 4 6.which way to happy- 3 7.i see you you see me- 1 8.don't give up on the fight- 4 9.this love- 2 10.wheel's on fire- 3 11.love's a game- 3 12.try- 2 (13.hymn for her- 3)                                                              2006                                                              Those the Brokes -  3/8      The title being a pun on "them's the brakes" I guess? I don't understand the title of the album just like I don't really get the concept of the band anymore: a pop band that makes super catchy songs, but also makes them lengthy, complex and multi-layered. Maybe the reason people don't do this much is because that concept does not work at all! On the debut some of the songs did work, but most of those were the shorter ones - yes they were complex and catchy but they were on average four minutes (and that was stretching it). On second album Those the Brokes, the MN try to replicate that formula but make the album longer and more complex. It's not like there are "layers" to these songs that make them "challenging" like prog rock or something, it is more like there too many ideas per song, moments of genius if you will, instead of great songs. "Undecided" is probably the best song on here and it is 6 1/2 minutes; you see for a band that makes catchy pop that fact is not a plus. Elsewhere we get the confused "You Never Had It", "Take Me or Leave Me" and "Boy" which ultimately go nowhere, and what is with "Most of the Time" which sounds just like the Bob Dylan song but is not a cover?!? Sometimes the band has some good songs, but as the album goes on it is just too boring and unfocused to warrant any attention or praise. Sophomore slump? Well, I guess, but Those the Brokes makes you second guess if this band was ever worth it in the first place. Maybe....shorten the number of songs to nine or eight? I hope they can redeem themselves because we all know the talent is there. - Trevor e.y. 1.this is a song- 3 2.you never had it- 2 3.take a chance- 3 4.carl's song- 3 5.boy- 2 6.undecided- 4 7.slow down- 2 8.most of the time- 1 9.take me or leave me- 1 10.let somebody in- 3 11.runnin out- 1 12.all I see- 2 13.goodnight-  1