The Magic Numbers (album)

The Magic Numbers
Studio album by The Magic Numbers
Released	13 June 2005
Recorded	Recorded and mixed at Metropolis Studios and Konk Studios, mixed at Metropolis Mastering, mastered at Sanctuary Townhouse.
Genre	Indie pop
Length	64:37
Label	Heavenly, EMI
Producer	Craig Silvey and Romeo Stodart
The Magic Numbers chronology
The Magic Numbers (2005) Those the Brokes (2006)
Singles from The Magic Numbers
"Forever Lost"/"Idea of a Feeling"/"I Hope You Don't Mind" Released: 23 May 2005 "Love Me Like You"/"Drunk on Your Words"/"Delphina's Song"/"Travelling Souls" Released: 8 August 2005 "Love's a Game"/"Keep It in the Pocket"/"Last Night I Fell" Released: 24 October 2005 "I See You, You See Me"/"Forever Lost" (by Magic Fractions)/"Close Your Eyes"/"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"/"Crazy in Love" Released: 16 January 2006

The Magic Numbers is the self-titled debut album from The Magic Numbers. It was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 2005. Songwriting duties were taken by Romeo Stodart as was much of the musical composition and arrangement. It incorporated the earlier single release of "Hymn for Her" as a hidden track. The album incorporates many folk elements within the main indie sound which resounds throughout. The album also reflects many elements of the writers early childhood dreams, tales of their love life and desperation of youth. For example "Love Me Like You", the best known single of the album, illustrates the difference of feeling in their love for each other.

Production

The Magic Numbers began recording the album in late 2004 at the Metropolis Studios in Chiswick.^[1] The album was co-produced by Romeo Stodart and American producer Craig Silvey.^[2]

Reception

The album was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2005, but lost to Antony and the Johnsons' I Am a Bird Now.^[3] The Magic Numbers came 43rd in PopMatters' 50 Best Albums of 2005.^[2]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	80/100 link
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	link
Pitchfork Media	7.6/10 25 May 05
Rolling Stone	6 Oct 05

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mornings Eleven"	Michele Stodart, Romeo Stodart	5:34
2.	"Forever Lost"	Romeo Stodart	4:11
3.	"The Mule"	Romeo Stodart	5:11
4.	"Long Legs"	Romeo Stodart	3:22
5.	"Love Me Like You"	Romeo Stodart	4:50
6.	"Which Way to Happy"	Romeo Stodart	4:27
7.	"I See You, You See Me"	Romeo Stodart	6:00
8.	"Don't Give Up the Fight"	Romeo Stodart	2:59
9.	"This Love"	Romeo Stodart	5:40
10.	"Wheels on Fire"	Michele Stodart, Romeo Stodart	4:03
11.	"Love's a Game"	Romeo Stodart	4:48
12.	"Try/Hymn for Her"	Romeo Stodart	13:32

Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
16.	"Idea of a Feeling"	Sean Gannon, Romeo Stodart
17.	"I Hope You Don't Mind"	Romeo Stodart
Total length:			64:37

Personnel

The Magic Numbers

• Angela Gannon – melodica, percussion, Vocals, design
• Sean Gannon – drums, design
• Michele Stodart – bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals, design
• Romeo Stodart – guitar, piano, vocals, production, banjo on "Mornings Eleven", design

Other personnel

• CC-Lab – design
• Angharad Davies – violin on "This Love"
• Pete Fowler – band illustration on British release
• Steve Gullick – photography
• Serge Krebs – engineering on "Which Way to Happy" and "I See You, You See Me"
• Dom Morley – assistant engineering on "Don't Give Up the Fight"
• Rich Robson – editing
• Craig Silvey – recording and production on all except "Idea of a Feeling"
• Bunt Stafford-Clark – mastering
• Richard Wilkinson – mixing on "Don't Give Up the Fight" and "This Love", additional engineering on "Mornings Eleven", "Forever Lost", "The Mule", "Long Legs", "Love Me Like You", "This Love", "Try", and "Hymn to Her"

Release history

Country	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United Kingdom	13 June 2005	Heavenly	CD	HVNLP53CD
			LP	HVNLP53
United States	2 August 2005	EMI	CD	312162

Charts

Chart (2005–06)	Peak position
scope="row"	Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[4]	33
scope="row"	French Albums (SNEP)[5]	142
scope="row"	Irish Albums (IRMA)[6]	12
scope="row"	Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[7]	38
scope="row"	Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[8]	11
scope="row"	UK Albums (OCC)[9]	7

Sales chart performance

Single (British releases)	Peak chart positions
"Forever Lost"	15[9]
"Love Me Like You"	12[9]
"Love's a Game"	24[9]
"I See You, You See Me"	20[9]

References

1. Mcguire, Kevin (11 November 2010). "The Magic Numbers heavenly melodies and west of Ireland connections". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
2. "The Best 50 Albums of 2005". PopMatters. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
3. "Antony and Johnsons win Mercury". BBC News. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
4. "Ultratop.be – The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
5. "Lescharts.com – The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
6. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 24, 2005". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved accessdate=12 April 2014.
7. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
8. "Swedishcharts.com – The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
9. "Magic Numbers | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 12 April 2014.

External links

• The Magic Numbers (album) at Discogs (list of releases)