WACO, an anarchic band from London have just released their debut album, ‘Human Magic’. The album is an ambitious collection of songs which wonderfully captures the individuality of the band. Their songs put a twist on typical punk and rock & roll music, making them oddballs in both scenes, but their lyrics laced with metaphysics, conspiracy theories and spirituality still make for an impactful listen. This album follows the passing of their bassist, Chris in December 2018. His playing is featured on the album, making it an even more pertinent listen.
‘Human Magic’ begins with WACO’s punky first single: ‘The Jersey Devil’ which is a crashing start to the album. The raspy vocals and distinct drum beat throughout give the track an edgier feel and really set the tone for the rest of the album. The screeching guitar solo in the bridge adds to the intensity of the song, which combined with the abrupt ending to the track, leaves the listener hungry for more!
‘The Jersey Devil’ is followed by fellow single ‘Levenshulme Lover’ which WACO have released alongside a music video. This single continues the burst of energy brought about in the previous track but at a slightly faster pace. The lyrics take on a marginally more light-hearted tone than in its predecessor. However, this track veers away from the bands typical style with a piano section in the bridge which acts as a brief switch in to a softer, ballad style track, similar to the sound of ‘Daydream’, but with glimmers of rock re-emerging as it progresses and they sing about prior experiences of loneliness.
‘N15’ brings a groovier, retro feel to the album and is much more mellow than the earlier tracks in the album, a trend that is repeated in the following instrumental title track, ‘Human Magic’. These songs symbolise a shift in tone towards something that the listeners are yet to experience with this album. However, this warm musicality is abruptly put to a stop with the much more direct, upbeat introduction of ‘Anthony’, a track that could be argued to be reminiscent of the style of Arctic Monkeys. The attacking vocals explore the situation of having an online friendship and having to prove both to yourself, and to those around you that it isn’t just in your head, a feeling that younger listeners can probably empathise with.
Following on from some of the earlier softer tracks, ‘By My Side’ revisits the band’s more subdued side. The chirpy, laid back tone of the song makes it an easy listen, and can be seen as reflective of how WACO always do things in their own way. The inclusion of female vocals also adds a new dimension to the song and makes it more distinguishable from the other tracks on the album.
As you near the end of ‘Human Magic’ you’ll experience the epic, ‘Catbrain’ which is one of the longer songs on the album at just under six minutes. The dramatic guitar and thumping drum beats make it almost impossible to not want to tap your foot or have a little dance! This, paired with reflective, contemplative lyrics about the meaning of life and being true to yourself make for an incredibly passionate track. This sort of message is ideal for one of the concluding tracks as it is likely to make an impression on listeners that leaves the album hard to forget.
‘Human Magic’ concludes with ‘Tomorrow’s Gorgeous Globe’, a poetic spoken word track expressing a need for a stronger human race. This is a thought provoking track that really makes your mind wander, it is guaranteed to give you goose bumps! The changes in amplification make the track even more attention grabbing and make it an inevitably poignant end to an eclectic album that brings something new to the contemporary scene.