The Automatic - Magazines

Much has been made of the line-up change that The Automatic has undergone between albums, and no song showcases this better than ‘Magazines’. By a considerable distance the best single that they’ve ever come out with.

Now, as newcomer Paul Mullen takes lead vocals on this it doesn’t sound massively like The Automatic on first listen. In place of the blaring keyboards is a dual guitar assault, interlocking over a ever shifting rhythm pattern and a bass groove. The drum sounding better than on any other record this year and given their own chance to shine. After its brilliance has been given a chance to get through, however, you notice that this is the band that The Automatic have been hinting that they can be since day one, the vocals and lyrics are filled with angst but never flaunted in this way.

Seemingly a dig at the press for being too prying: ‘Magazines / Tearing pieces of me / Pages fall out’ the lyrics don’t make a massive deal of sense, but it doesn’t detract. It’s aggressive and show us that whilst commercial success may be eluding them now they’re still a force to be reckoned with. A proper rock band.