Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros | Here

Max Phineas May Have Found His Summer-Groove-Mix-Tape Headliner

Fresh from rocking Jimmy Kimmel Live in Hollywood last night, LA based Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are an eclectic band, with 10+ members how could they not be, and their debut album, 2009’s Up From Below clearly established this. Full of tambourines, guitars, bubbly, mesmerizing lyrics about love, belonging, heartbreak, and just being happy – it was a great album, but sometimes it just didn’t feel as great as it could be. Gladly their sophomore album, Here, solves that problem by stripping down the opulent feeling of the first by focusing more on lyrics and the simple music of the folk genre.

From the very beginning with their songs Man on Fire, That’s What’s Up, and I Don’t Wanna Pray, Edward Sharpe draws the listener in with the scruffy, yet melodious vocals of leads Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos. Filled with a mixture of guitars and banjos, tambourines – I mean the whole works – it’s like a family choir mixed with a psychedelic folk band (in a good way). From the start you’re drawn in and as the album progresses into the next three songs, Mayla, Dear Believer, and Child, it starts to take a slower pace, becoming personal and simple. The vocals of Alex Ebert are more relaxed and, while scratchier, more pleasing to the ears. The last three tracks speed it up a little; especially the last track, Jade Castrinos’ All Wash Out. This is such a fun record to listen to while relaxing over the summer. It’s a great sophomore release and possibly my favorite so far this year.

Check out their incredible rendition of “Man on Fire” on Jimmy Kimmel last night: