Piano Magic

Piano Magic have been a troublesome band to follow because of their insistence on doing whatever they want. They’ve jumped from label to label like wandering nomads yet have managed to rack up an enviable number of singles and other releases during their ten-year existence. It seems like it took that decade for the band’s wealth of ideas to come together cohesively. Part Monster is the band’s biggest album to date for a few different reasons. First, it sounds like the band are trying to emulate some of their ’80s heroes that put so much stock in making epic music effortlessly, the kind capable of filling the largest of spaces. But it is the second reason that cements this as the pinnacle of the band’s discography: ambition. By building on themes from earlier records, Part Monster brings their lyrical exploration of Englishness to its natural conclusion. While in theory, that could be a chore, the resultant music is very compelling — like New York band My Favorite’s perfect recreation of ’80s electro pop, Piano Magic’s upbeat moments are hard to fault. The more atmospheric, slower moments act as punctuation and while not as immediately effective, they are still very much an integral part of this impressive album.