Here We Go Magic have sat dormant for quite some time. It comes as a bit of a surprise since their last album, 2012’s A Different Ship, was a breakthrough critically and commercially. It found the group moving forward on multiple fronts: better production (aided in no small part by Nigel Godrich of Radiohead fame), songwriting and increasingly confident lyrics from singer Luke Temple.
Despite the album’s success, the band took a rest to work on side projects and reorganize things. Temple released a woefully under-appreciated solo album, Good Mood Fool, in 2013 and the band underwent some lineup changes.
Fortunately for us Here We Go Magic is back and they’ve announced a new album, Be Small, out Oct. 16 on Secretly Canadian. The new album was recorded under modest circumstances compared to A Different Ship’s expansive and perhaps expensive production. Temple and longtime HWGM member Michael Bloch tracked the album themselves and reportedly kept things bare bones. While bare bones didn’t exactly describe the album’s first single, “Falling,” it certainly fits second single, “Ordinary Feeling.” The track is a slow burning reflection on Temple’s bad habits. While it sounds drab on paper, the track eventually gives way to a shimmering chorus and outro.