Magic Bullets
A Child But in Life Yet a Doctor in Love
Words on Music
San Francisco’s Magic Bullets are entering the post-Gang of Four revival kind of late. Dance-punk’s angularity and nervous energy have left deep sweat marks on contemporary indie music since roughly the turn of the ’00s. With this disc, Magic Bullets seem to take note of the potential fall-out from an inevitably tiring genre and add in some underused dynamics. The resulting album is a mixed bag. When the band plumbs the New Order vaults on “Heatstroke,” plying softly percolating keys to a solid rhythmic groove, magic ensues. It’s the album’s stand-out track. “Circumstances” is much more sonically dense with its complimentary rhythm patterns and marriage of interesting tones. Elsewhere, the group turns in serviceable, though slightly rote post-punk. It could be a matter of production; too often the guitars lack much bite. It’s something that a live setting could help bolster and give these tracks stronger legs for the dance floor.
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