Posts Tagged ‘artmagic’

Live4ever’s Essential Listening 2012 series begins today with ten of our own favourite debut releases of the year. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for essential music videos; EP, track and album highlights from the many bands which have featured in our Radar section during the course of the year; as well as the pick of the gigs Live4ever has witnessed over the past twelve months. And don’t miss our wider, main Albums rundown next month to see which, if any, debuts have also made it on to that list.

Is your favourite debut of 2012 missing from our Essentials retrospective? Remember, we’re recommending, not preaching, so make sure you highlight your pick of the year by leaving a comment below.

Artmagic released their debut album ‘Become The One You Love‘ in July to genuine critical acclaim, and now Live4ever has a signed copy of the record to give away to one lucky reader.

Combining the multifaceted talents of Suede’s Richard Oakes and songwriter-producer Sean McGhee, Artmagic is a collaborative mélange of their respective musical strengths. An osmotic alliance fused by the love of melody.

‘Become The One You Love’ is surprising in that it is not the full throttle rock album that might be expected from someone with Oakes’ credentials. And neither is it a chart-orientated pop album that might be expected of McGhee. It’s a work of contemplative maturity brimming with piano-led ballads and introspective narratives, composed together and nurtured over time.

In today’s Soundbites - our look back at the past week’s news, features, videos and tabloid gossip – Charlie Sheen feels ready to start taking the piss out of other celebs, Frank Turner sticks up for the man on Twitter, Brian May wants to be remembered for helping squirrels, Noel Gallagher increases his weekly earnings by a few hundred pounds, and this week’s most popular video is revealed.

St. Pancras Old Church is set just off the main road leading to Kings Cross St. Pancras station. It’s a well known location, often serving as a live venue as well as a parish church. It’s a work of Victorian splendour set away from the hustle and bustle of Euston Road but close enough to occasionally bear the hiss of a braking train inching into the city.

As the light begins to fade and the crowd starts to form Live4ever took a walk with Artmagic’s Richard Oakes and Sean McGhee earlier this week, sheltering under the lush green trees of St. Pancras Gardens (still recognisable as one of the settings of The Beatles 1968 ‘Mad Day Out’ promo shoot) to chat about the genesis of Artmagic, future touring and second album plans, and which member of Fleetwood Mac they would like to have been…