Magnet
In all, 33 musicians have contributed to the life span of Magnet, a guitar-pop collective who formed in 1996. Under most circumstances, that might make for a headache-inducing collision course of ideas. However, group mastermind Mark Goodman has kept the band sharply focused and forging forward. He's gotten a little help in recent times from Cracker frontman David Lowery and John Morand, who produced Magnet's forthcoming album.
In addition to his involvement with Magnet, Goodman's a respected underground-rock fixture, having recorded three albums with Foggy Nation and one with My Dog Homer. He’s joined on "Over You" by Moe Tucker, whose drumming can be heard on Magnet's 1997 debut, Don't Be a Penguin. Of course, Tucker’s best known for her 1965-70 affiliation with the Velvet Underground. Her five critically revered solo albums have become highly collectible in recent years.
"Over You" is distinguished by its deceptively simple melody and the sticky nature of its hook. Opening with a subtle snatch of rhythm-guitar strumming, the track quickly whips into a power-pop jam on which Goodman reveals a tender tenor vocal range -- not to mention a penchant for mildly psychedelic guitar riffs. Tucker holds the tune together with a firm backbeat that shifts tempo without jarring the listener. As Tucker and Goodman cruise toward the song's climax, listeners will momentarily feel transplanted back to the days of "Shindig" and Dick Clark's "Rate-A-Record."
Simply put, "Over You" has a great beat and you can easily dance to it.
-- Larry Flick
Larry Flick is the talent editor at Billboard magazine. He's also a frequent contributor to Vibe, Request and Genre. Currently, Flick is writing a book on the daytime television industry for Berkley Books.
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