"Magnapop is kind of like Young Marble Giants backed by AC/DC" - Michael Stipe
Ladies and Gentlemen, it's Magnapop! Magnapop's new album, The Circle Is Round, is the Atlanta-based group's debut release for HHBTM Records, and is their sixth album, coming nearly a decade after their previous record, 2009's Chase Park. Prior to this, the group had a fruitful run during the Alternative Rock heyday of the mid-90s, finding critical acclaim with 1994's Hotboxing (with single "Slowly, Slowly") and 1996's Rubbing Doesn't Help, which featured their most beloved song, "Open The Door." And although the phrase was an endearing joke courtesy of slacker film Singles, Magnapop were indeed "big in Belgium," finding enduring success that has led them to visit the Benelux region numerous times over their three decade career. (They have a tour slated for the area this September.)Listen here:
Yet let's not think of it as a "comeback," shall we? Magnapop never really went away, appearing on the live circuit in Europe sporadically since their last release. The seeds that would blossom into The Circle Is Round were planted in 2011. "We reunited in 2011 when bassist Shannon Mulvaney contacted us about playing a benefit for Criminal Records, a local record store," says guitarist and songwriter Ruthie Morris. "Playing together was easy, but we knew we needed time together to play our old songs again. The more we played together, the more we realized we wanted to work on new material."
Videos