Album Review

Artmagic – Become The One You Love

• 1st Jul 2012

Become The One You Love is the debut album from the duo Artmagic. The men behind the name are guitarist Richard Oakes of Suede and vocalist Sean McGhee, who has recorded and mixed music for the likes of Britney Spears, Robyn and the Sugababes.

Two talented individuals coming together then and the aim, as the name says, is to make magic from art. There are certainly some fine tracks on what is a good guitar/ pop album, but magic might be taking things a bit too far. While the overall effect is pleasing I wonder if it is just a little too safe, and whether a little more experimentation could have offered more. Still, perhaps a debut album is simply about establishing a new collaboration.

There is some diversity within the eleven tracks on this album, which starts very strongly. First track The Choice is a heartfelt and dreamy acoustic number, while the following Down In The River is much more up tempo and in places closer to a rock song. Forever In Negative then heads in a slightly different direction as the vocals soar and a very nice guitar solo brightens a fine track. This one is released as a single and has already gained a lot of radio airplay for Artmagic.

Unfortunately the first three tracks are the strongest on the album, and things plod a little from there on. Submerged has a big sound with layers on layers but the simple repeated melody grates after a while. You is a decent soft rock track with a strong vocal performance, while A Homecoming is emotional yet the vocals feel a little hidden within another big mix.

Heaven Is Here is a good pop song with a strong bass line, and would perhaps make a decent second single. Half-Life follows, a slow track with a gentle guitar backing soft vocals but somehow it never quite takes off, while Blue On Blue is another that is no more than an even yet uninspiring pop song.

The album does close well, with The Spark, which has something understated yet powerful about it and the final track The Gift Of Flight where a piano based opening backs the vocals before the guitar comes in. This passionate love song marries the vocal talents of McGhee with Oakes’ guitar well.

Overall this is a decent album, creating atmospheric music through an interesting musical partnership. There are many layers to several of the tracks, and it is clear that the two principals have each brought their strengths to their partnership. But I think that they have a lot more yet to show us.