Magnatech is a solo project from John Verhoef that jumped out mid-pandemic with a steady stream of releases that now totals seven LPs five years on. Each release saw noticeable tweaks and tips learned along the way until he'd worked out a pretty signature sound. Perhaps in fear of painting himself into a corner, for 312 Magnatech Fans Can't Be Wrong, there's a bit of a reset on that sound, pulling the plug from the compressor in the signal chain, for a less in-your-face sound overall but perhaps a more honest and detailed guitar. You can even do a direct comparison with the songs on his previous EP Tanzkapelle, where you can hear three of these songs with the previous treatment. It may be an adjustment for some, but that adjustment is a physical action: turn up the volume!
The aim is for a more authentic 60's experience, though to my ear this compares even more closely with certain Phantom Surfers records. And there's even a dash of that in the songwriting, though mostly it sounds like Magnatech, which is a hard thing to nail down but it's a thing. Guitar phrases come in concentrated bursts, with gasps for air in drum breaks. Always with attention to tone, be it drippy and surfy, or sharp and sparkling, or sometimes an echoey frenzy like "Camazotz". Traditionally rooted, rarely aspiring for something more expanded (always OK in these parts), but variety in tone to keep things fresh.
At 18 tracks this one is no value slouch -- it's enough that on subsequent listen-throughs new ones stick out each time. The really interesting thing is that apparently this recording shake-up is only a prelude to a larger change: adding a full band. I guess we'll stay tuned!
Grab it on bandcamp on the newly formed Constituent Records.
