Magical Beasts owe their larger than life sound in part due to the 10-piece ensemble that makes up the band. The other part has to do with the lively sets that the group imparts, taking some of the wild and care-free spirit seen in some of their live performances and putting that into their recordings. What manifests is a haunting experience, delving into realms of the magical and esoteric.
The Chicago-based band is a project led by Nathan Paulus (vocals, guitar, harmonica, arrangements), and backed by Josh Miller (vocals, upright bass), John Herbst (vocals, banjo, ukulele), Ethan Pikas (pedal steel, banjo), Sharon Hoyer (vocals), Cara Sawyer (vocals, French horn), Rhonda Harrison Tag (drums), Justin Amolsch (French horn, trombone, trumpet), Max Crawford (trumpet), and Jim Becker (violin). Magical Beasts expertly doles out an exquisite mystical sound that is a hybrid of Americana and folk-rock.
The prolific group is releasing a conceptual album and an EP, due out for release May 1.
The conceptual album, entitled, Peninsula, deals with characters who are in the constant flux of evolving whether they be dead inside or stagnant. In this journey towards evolving, pitfalls and obstacles considerably shape the character of these personas into being.
Peninsula opens up with “King Of The Undead” which starts off dreamy with a great folk appeal with vocals that are accompanied solely by the acoustic guitar. A great indie-rock vibe permeates the track from the get-go that elicits a magical vibe with the combined vocal harmonies adding a soaring effect on the refrain. Trumpets also give off a jubilant feel to the track as sounds of the ukulele harken to a more tropical vibe. This is a dynamic song filled to the tee with a dramatic quality that shimmers with heartfelt, emotional, and thought-provoking energies.
The second track off the album is “Hunter” that has sounds of the acoustic guitar jumpstarting this soothing and calming ballad. The soft sounds coming from the acoustic track has a steady cadence that will really course over you. With a great flow, the song sees more of the dreamy vision seen in the previous track. An appealing folk-rock vibe permeates this Americana song with sounds of the banjo tracing the gamut of this track, as strings of contemplative cadences come from the banjo and guitar, gleaning off of a reticent approach to the music.
“My Own Way Down” starts off with the exquisite strumming from the ukulele. A quiet track, the soft sounds that come from the instruments, here are magical and enticing. Later on, the beseeching sound is marked by the cadences of the keening of the trombone with more of the reticent quality coming from the guitar and ukulele.
“Glory Be” begins with some dynamic strumming from the acoustic guitar. With an intimate feel to the song, the sound and style will really draw you in. Later on, the cadences of the French horn and banjo join in.
More of the dynamic sounds continue on in the soothing and dramatic ballad, “Learning And Forgetting,” on the sweet excess coming from the combined vocal harmonies on “Clara June,” and on the sweet lullaby that is accompanied by quiet numerating on the acoustic guitar and ukulele on “That We Are.”
The EP, entitled, When Love’s A Stranger, ties in love with the concept of love songs with the theme of thwarted love.
The EP opens up with the dreamy façade of “New York” that starts off with the sounds of the harmonica jumpstarting this song, giving an air for the romantic to this overall slower sauntering track. The dynamic ballad has a dramatic approach with reverberating electric guitar riffs clustering this song in a buoyant, freeing fashion. The harmonica also gives a fiery feel to the overall track.
The title-track, “When Love’s A Stranger” elicits a lovely sound filled with melodious vocal harmonies with the cadences of the banjo giving this song a country-twang/Americana atmospheric blend. With a catchy and upbeat tune, the pleasing sound gives off a great indie vibe.
The blithe sounds coming from “Lady Bird” starts off with the enticing strumming form the guitar. Dynamic vocals also add the brush of life to the track, giving off a substantial depth to this upbeat and catchy, uplifting tune, filled with sunny cadences.
“Someone To Lift The Blue” begins with some deft finger-work on the acoustic guitar with the intricate sounds creating a crafted appeal. The sounds of the violin add to the energized layer as the lyrics are spewed out in a speedy fashion. The instruments try to keep up in the background to the fast tempo. All in all, a revving, great Americana/folk cadence.
“Erin And The Storm” starts off with numerating over the acoustic guitar at first solely accompanied by the vocals. Fizzy guitar riffs intercede on the track, as the head-bobbing and feet-stomping melody holds your attention.
Bask in the glow of these radiant and stormy songs about love and tragedy. With this compelling dual release, you get to see into the minds behind Magical Beasts at work, releasing out into the world their visionary endeavors rooted in the mythical and the mystical.
You can see here in both the album and EP that there is a distinct intersection between the tangible and the world of magical encounters. Wild, care-free, and spirited, both Peninsula and When Love’s A Stranger embraces a warm sound filled with emotion and thought-provoking lyrics.
Paulus’ haunting vocals punctate each track with emotional excess, producing a passionate and relatable experience.
A triumph feat, both the album and EP will leave you wanting more from this compelling group.
From the band: “All of the songs for the album and EP were all recorded at the Pikas home in Door County Wisconsin (which is a peninsula) over the course of a week. Most of the songs are live; horn sections are overdubbed.”