Martin Courtney isn't re-inventing the wheel here on Magic Sign, his new solo album, but the results have a natural quality that's refreshing. This record, out on Domino, on Friday is a pleasure to sink into, and the sort of thing that reminds just how juice is left in fairly conventional forms.
There's a real solo Beatle in the late Seventies-vibe to "Outcome", one of the highlights here, even as single "Sailboat" aims for something marginally rougher. Shades of Courtney's old band, Real Estate, peeking through the seams here a tiny bit, but this stands on its own. Elsewhere, the title cut mines a vein similar to that which has fed Teenage Fanclub recently, though Martin adds subtle chamber pop touches here that seem a slightly more baroque than anything the Fannies would touch. I say that as praise, of course.
Courtney's a gifted songwriter, and nothing here on Magic Sign seems to be too over-thought. At times, things get a bit too laid back, like on "Time to Go", but most of the record is light and catchy in very good ways. The textures might have a Laurel Canyon mood, but Martin keeps things moving forward, never losing the plot or getting lost in the instrumental flourishes that give this its easygoing charm and appeal. I suppose fans of Real Estate might want something more robust, but this is such a pleasureable listen, that I can't really nitpick too much here.
Magic Sign is out on Domino on Friday.
[Photo: Shawn Brackbill]