Minnesota psych maven Jason Edmonds and his band Magic Castles have returned with their first recording since 2021. It is also their first time working with Fuzz Club after a string of releases on Anton Newcombe’s A Recordings imprint. It is no coincidence that they worked with Newcombe, as both bands seem to draw from the same deep well of droning, bliss-infused psychedelia. It is mostly not about the spread out jams, rather it’s about highly melodic but hazy tracks of shorter duration. The band relies on vintage instruments, which lends itself to the warm, summery feel of this release. For the uninitiated, the band formed in Minneapolis MN in the early 2000s by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Jason Edmonds. The lineup on Realized includes Adam Patterson on drums, Izaak Drew on guitar, and Kristof Marden on bass. The group recorded the tracks with Nick Tveitbakk at the legendary Pachyderm Studios in Minnesota, with additional recording by Edmonds at his studio the Map Room and in Neil Weir’s remote chapel-converted-to-studio, Blue Bell Knoll, where Edmonds and Weir would lovingly co-mix the end result.
At a time when the world is in a shambles, we need music like this to sustain us, to help us escape from cold reality, at least for a short time. The band is well named, for they spin magical notes in every tune. The record opens with the majestic ‘Hey Alright’, which includes baroque elements, whether from programming or actual strings. Then the guitars and drums crash in like a rogue wave, amping up the energy. Vocals arrive around the 2 minute mark, joining the psyched out party. This is music for stretching out and enjoying the moment, maybe with a cat or two in tow. ‘Abandoned Mansions’ is lovely, a dappled slice of psych pop with sweet harmonies. ‘Samata’ is a personal favourite, with a strong melody and slightly hazy vocal lines. Just stellar! ‘Mary Anne’ is one of the singles, and it will draw you in and worm its way into your ears!
‘Space Manual’ is top of the line psych with clever lyrics and a melody that will capture your attention. I like the different years name-checked in this tune, and you will too! ‘Got Me Waiting’ veers into jangle pop, an excellent left turn! ‘Summertime Fingertips’ is sublime daydream pop, starting off as soft psych and inching up to a cool climax. The album’s title track is the final song here, and it’s just gorgeous. Gauzy layers and feathery vocals come together perfectly, and it’s a fine way to close down this release. Highly recommended for fans of good music everywhere, especially focused on psychedelia, dream pop, and jangle pop.
