‘Here We Go Magic’ have rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in indie with an ever-growing career trajectory that saw Nigel Godrich produce their last album, ‘A Different Ship’ (2012). They toured off the back of that with prodigiously talented songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and whistler extraordinaire, Andrew Bird, in the US, then came over to Blighty to tour with home-grown favourites, Elbow. One wonders if the new album, ‘Be Small’, is a reaction to this; a return to simpler times with less pressure to sell records or a recoil from the weight of expectation of journalistic champions such as Pitchfolk, The New York Times or BBC Music. Or is it a response to a world so full of suffering, inequality, war and tragedy that make the band want to curl up into a ball and hide?

 
The title track itself, appearing third on the album, does nothing to dispel this gloomy theory:
 
‘Be small, just as you are, in the core of your sweet surrender
Be small, be awake in the darkness, why be the deft defender
In all this fight? No end, no end.’
 
It’s a pearl of a song, Luke Temple’s wistful vocal countered by poppy warmth, full of wonderful little details. Like HWGM’s best songs, it almost flies under the radar – seemingly simple but actually comprised of multiple elements and fine-drawn variations.
 
It’s an album with a very clear identity – strong currents of dreamy nostalgia tinged with sadness, wearing its influences proudly on its sleeves. Second track, ‘Stella’ sounds like a song from another era, like the love child of JJ Cale and Steve Winwood with a vocal that floats over the top of carefully placed key changes and subtle shifts in dynamics. ‘Ordinary Feeling’ is hugely warm and laid back – it wouldn’t sound out of place on Beck’s ‘Sea Change’ and ‘Girls in the Early Morning’ has all the hallmarks of an Air classic – neutral, slightly faraway vocals with a soupçon of mystery.
 
The most predominant influence must be that of Brian Eno, and what a fine influence to have. ‘Falling’ rattles along like something from Another Green World, ‘Candy Apple’, feels like something Eno may have engineered with its layered textures, and ‘Tokyo London US Korea’ may take a few listens to get, but its detailed rhythm section and fluttery guitars wouldn’t be out of place on ‘Here Come The Warm Jets’.
 
Such striking positives are unfortunately countered by some baffling artistic decisions. ‘Intro’ is a pointless jumbo jet engine roar that cuts out abruptly to completely jar with the 70s drenched synthetic groove of ‘Stella’. ‘Wishing Well’ is certainly more pleasant listening than ‘Intro’, but it doesn’t serve any function, neither does it segue into the next song nor flow on from what preceded it. All of this is nowhere near as utterly bizarre as the rash ending of ‘News’, one of the hookiest tunes on the album. The point at which the main song is cut and the mangled whammy bar guitar is inflicted upon the listener like being ripped out of a dream and thrown into a nightmare. I’m sure there’s a reason – as it feels like everything HWGM does has, but I haven’t got my head around this one yet.
 
The final third of ‘Be Small’ is excellent. I’ve already touched upon ‘Ordinary Feeling’ and its delicious warmth and languor, but the chorus is something else, displaying a fragility and vulnerability to move the listener in a way the rest of the album does not. And the ice-cream van piano at the very end tips the nostalgia scale to a perfect 10. ‘News’ has palpable warmth with an aesthetic very much in keeping with what went before, but with the added bonus of a joyous guitar hook.
 
Closer, ‘Dancing World’ tastes like Eno once more, reminiscent of his work on Bowie’s ‘Lodger’ with Eastern influences and sci-fi synths. It’s full of charm and displays all those lovely HWGM characteristics – seemingly simple arrangements (that actually aren’t) and playful, subtly inverted pop.
 
I might have my gripes with ‘Be Small’, but there’s something very appealing about listening to a flawed but often fantastic piece of work where the artist takes risks and challenges the listener to reflect.
 
Maybe one day I’ll “get” the ending of ‘News’.
Adam Atkins