Magic Car – Family Matters

Emerging from the kennel of Nottingham’s Tiny Dog label (home of the fabulous Flipron) comes another slice of whimsy courtesy of Magic Car.

Right from the start, especially with a melancholic harmonica straight out of an old Western, it is anything but whimsical. Yet, I would argue that it is impossible for East Midlanders to take from the Wild West with a completely straight face. It may look (and sound) like a serious attempt to recreate Nashville in Nottingham but it’s eclecticism sets it apart.

There are three songs at the centre of the album – Dry Your Eyes, Mother Nature’s Lamb and Cinderella #1 – that are particularly free from the weight of their inspirations, having an unmistakably English reticence and humour. It is this that breathes new life into a decades old genre.

So sit back and enjoy the riches, for there’s gold in them there tunes.