Magic: The Interactive Gathering - The Votecasters

Shadowyzard:  Alaska “The Sorcerer” Begins with guitars and an almost folkish voiced male singer, in what will obviously become a story/song.  There’s a bit of an 80’s feel to the keys in it, but also a nod to prog with the keyboards being such an integral part of the song.  This sorcerer is indeed likely to help you if you’re down, but you’ll pay a price.  Great start to the poll!  Erang “The Temple of Elemental Evil”  A more symphonic piece (part of a video game or?).  I like the feeling of despair in the initial keyboard part.  There is an operatic voice that enters.   Some slightly discordant elements that enter in, and some plucked-sounding cello or perhaps done on keyboards.  And shimmery-distant horns, I think via synth.  This is a gorgeous piece.  Rhapsody of Fire “The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream”  Another minor key piece with piano and flute at the beginning and a very quavery male vocalist, then Christopher Lee joins in, with a very contrasting, deep vocal.  There is a full chorus and orchestra.  Very nice and full of drama, this one.  Knightmare “The Enchantress”  Metally beginning, lots of wailing doubled guitar and kicks into gear with capable, dramatic vocals and pounding drums.  Some changes keep the song interesting, structure is standard hard rock.

Anders:  Gasolin’ “Legenden om Josha og Ming”  Edgy, pointed guitar, bass and percussion are joined by a wah wah guitar (kindly pointed out to me by Anders, again, thank you ).  A vehement sounding male vocalist.  Story of an ancient meeting with a modern, really, kind of a magical clash of cultures.  Very catchy, with full choruses and washy keyboards.  A string section comes in, which really sweetens this up, in a very good way.  Making me think a little of a wonkier “Madman Across The Water,” string section. 

JD:  Mike Batt “Tarota”  Guessing this will be about Tarot (as we would say in English).  Meandering electric guitar begins this piece ( was expecting mandolin or balalaika from the cover).  I’m thinking this is an overture?  Interspersed with full orchestra, very engaging.  This is certainly something I missed along the way and I am going to acquaint myself with the rest.  I Mother Earth “Levitate”  Heaviness enters the fray with a sneering vocalist and smashing, crashing drums, bass and guitar.  Personally, I like the subtlety of the previous piece better, although I like the part in the center with the solos going from one sort to another.  Joe Jackson “The Evil Eye”  This is very snappy, poppy, in that Joe Jackson way.  Enjoyable foray into voodoo and the like, yet living in modern times.

Progishness:  Stevie Wonder “If It’s Magic”  Lovely harp begins this song and Stevie’s wonderful voice accompanies it.  I’ve enjoyed his live perfomances many times, back in the 70’s, he opened for tons of shows I attended.  What a beautiful duet, I could have done without the harmonica at the end, though.  Carolyn Hester Coalition “I’m Magic Man”  Here we have some 60’s pop/psych with slightly muddy recording and a strident female vocalist. Lots of echo-y guitar.  Michele O’Malley “Song to the Magic Frog”  Begins as a folky/psych/pop ballad, with harpsichord and a sweet-voiced vocalist, has almost a tinge of country-ish-ness in her voice.  She’s quite a capable vocalist, in this very delicate setting.  Surprised that I’ve not heard it before.    

Kees:  Nena “Zaubertrick”  The always-recognizable Nena here, doing some magic, 80’s style.  Poppy and bright, with punchy and keys going from shimmery to polka-dotty and back.  Some whangy bass and those electronic drums keep the beat and at he end, she has a wicked little laugh.  Les Rita Mitsouko “La sorcière et l'inquisiteur”  Live performance here, love the start with an eerie vocal and keyboards to match, setting the tone.  This one has a bit of the feel of an Oriental orchestra, but with a sort of operatic vocal.  Love the lyrics and that the witch enchanted her would-be torturer.  Very dramatic performance.  Catherine Ringer & Iggy Pop “I Put A Spell On You”  I, too, did think of the Screamin’ Jay Hawkins tune.  Given the full treatment in a live setting, what great fun this is as a duet.  It looked to me as though she had heterochromia, from the first video you showed, interesting that Iggy would work with another artist with these different coloured eyes.

George:  The Budos Band “Magus Mountain”  Begins with electric guitar picking out a melody, moving quickly into a sort of electrified semi-Renaissance period sound, which shifts into a jazzy piece with ornate organ and a horn section.  It drifts into an experimental jam, then back to the horns, then back to the main theme.  Really intriguing combination.  Triumph “Magic Power”  Here the song starts with some synth and guitar and then a very capable arena rock voice.  Well-crafted rock song, everyone does their part very well, with a fun video to boot.  Blind Melon “Three Is A Magic Number”  How fun!  Begins with soft piano and the scratchy voice of Shannon Hoon (sadly the only person ever to die on one of our buses.  Overdosed for those who don’t know/remember).  Nice little flute flutters by near the end.  There was a naivete to this band that was very engaging.  Never knew they did this. 

Saperlipopette!  The Unseen “Evidently the Spirits Have Taken Over” Begins with some spooky slightly uneven sounding keyboards and eerie vibes (?) or perhaps a keyboard sound.  Very cinematic/atmospheric piece.   It has a feeling of foreboding and the sound is like you’re hearing it while walking down into a hallway, where the music is coming from another room.  A female voice speaks and is very garbled, to eerie affect.  It becomes kind of dirgelike with the female repeating unintelligible words.  Then goes into an almost childlike/circus part before the end.  Spooky stuff!  Toadstone “Circle of Stones”  Another eerie track, with flutes and keyboards.  Guitar joins in as the song progresses, with string strikes.  The vocals are male and female, blended, very dark folk here. 

Lorenzo:  Hope you are getting close to complete healing, Lorenzo!  Surprised you didn’t bring Donovan here (maybe someone else will).  He does, after all, have a most-perfect song for this theme.  Modena City Ramblers “Radio Tindouf”  Has a middle eastern-y beat to the song, with flutes and eerie strings, also played in a sort of middle eastern-y way.  Added is an accordion to the strident vocals.  The percussion is organic.  Really intriguing combination of styles, I quite like this one.  Francesco Guccini “Il Vecchio e il Bambino”  (went ahead and listened to what I could find) Begins with a lovely violin and strummed guitar.  In “the Italian style,” as I call it.  Very emotional, and soaring.  What a sad thing to think of ancient times as just fable, and not, as it truly is, history.  Lou Reed “Magic and Loss”  Simple piano and bass strike a few notes, then, with Lou’s vocal, drums.  Simple and effective, as most of his music is.  Definitely a feeling of sadness in it, and hopelessness.  The guitar lead about halfway in is very evocative of the general tone of the piece. 

Christian:  Subway To Sally “Liebeszauber”  This has a heavy dark folk feel at the start, with what sounds like handclaps, heavy drums, flutes and guitars in a marching beat.  Strident male vocalist with grouped chorus.  Reedy, wrangly keyboards enter the fray about 2/3rds in. This is the more metal-ish side of what I enjoy by bands such as Faun or Corvus Corax, but sounds like all modern instruments.  Subway To Sally again with “Die Hexe”  This one is a capella vocals, in the style of what I think of as  “village song,” in the intro.  Wastes no time into jumping on in to a full rock style with electric instruments and flute.  Music stops as vocalist sings lines and punctuates with coming back in after the first verse, then backs the vocalist in full again.  Medieval break section, then back full force, with a wailing guitar solo to boot.  Ends up with some quiet keyboard/organ notes.  I quite enjoyed both of these.  FM Einheit “Hymne”  Evil female cackles and some buzzing/washy guitars and thonky/thuddy drums start this.  The vocals are back far in the mix, that come more to the fore, with unintelligibility.   Sort of a spooky space piece. It all ends quite abruptly.    

Mike:  Mick Karn “Plaster the Magic Tongue”  Begins with keys and horns syncopatedly sounding a bit carnivalesque.  Complex percussion, punchy bass and guitars enter the picture.  Group vocals back the lead singer.  Flutes section commences, definitely with a calliope feel, but not exactly a childish ride. Also makes me think of a medieval circus parade.   Blue Oyster Cult “Les Invisibles”  Love the photo, looks like The Cliff House, outside of San Francisco, which fits, I’ve always thought BOC owed a bit to psychedelia.  Heavy beginning with sharp electric guitar, bass and percussion.  Vocals are soaring and layered, music complex.  Very enjoyable, I’d not heard this recording.  Ulver “Magic Hollow”  Wind sounds at beginning, with bell-like keys and an ominous deep something sound.  Watery/layered vocals here, and a light yet also dark musicality to the song.  There is a hint of psych and melancholy, too.  I quite like this, will check them out further.