Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - PersonA

Intentional or not, all bands have a brand. In fact, it’s probably fair to say that most groups worthy of mention are so because of their narrative, as well as their music. When a connection can be made both sonically and humanly, an exciting new dimension is opened up. Where things get tricky, though, is when the image begins to overshadow the main event. A couple of years back, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes were on the verge of something similar. Made up of ten musicians with Alexander Ebert at the forefront, the band have forever been known for their ramshackle style, spiritual musings, folky psychedelia and hippie revivalist vibes. While Sharpe is a fictional character, the idea that he was the The Messiah - and the band his devoted disciples - began not only stealing the limelight, but making the whole thing seem a bit hollow.

With that in mind, it would seem only natural for the band to put out a record that can be set apart from their others. ‘PersonA’ succeeds in that regard. ‘Hot Coals’ is a fiery, impassioned number packed with changes of pace and texture. Equipped with tinkering jazz pianos and rolling crescendos, it’s also the first hint that this album is less about the words and more about the well-oiled machine they’ve become instrumentally.

The follow-up ‘Uncomfortable’ continues up a jazz-inspired path and allows for Ebert to demonstrate the strength and maturity of his vocals. Unafraid to revel in their once distinguishable breed of uplifting folk pop, ‘Show Me Love’ is a buoyant darling of a song and while its positivity is enjoyable, it’s not a theme that runs throughout. Further along, the more risk-taking, experimental details are visible. Nodding with little subtlety towards blues influence, ‘Wake Up The Sun’ is complex yet gorgeous while tracks like ‘Let It Down’ see a more sombre, melancholic side unfold. ‘The Ballad of Yaya’ closes the curtains in the same fine-tuned grandiosity the band opened with, despite its initial Simon and Garfunkel leanings. Continuously shifting, ‘PersonA’ is unbridled, unregulated and feels more like a demonstration of collaborative talent than a collection of hardy pop songs.