More eighties pop revival for lovers
Essex band Magistrates are a curious thing indeed. ‘Make It Work’ is a work of pure pop, designed for dancing and in place of actually talking to your girlfriend. Which it would do amazingly well. Yet there’s a wonderful DIY ethic within the band. The single references eighties pop artists such as Prince to perfection. And if you’re not scared of ridiculously high-pitched vocals, this is for you. It’s an unusual combination, the detailed lyrics versus the music recorded very basically, even down to the setting-up noises deliberately left at the start. So they’re not complete revivalists, make no mistake, there’s a decidedly modern twist. It’s a wonderful slice of life-affirming retro pop that wouldn’t look amiss either beside your Alpha Beat records or any number of new indie bands.