In the large landscape of independent music acts, there are few that reach the level of success that Magazine Gap has. The group, which hails from London, has toured extensively throughout a bevy of countries, including the United States, Japan, and Hong Kong. They’ve been releasing music for quite some time now, their latest release being ‘Ran For Cover,’ a single that debuted earlier this week. Does the new track stack up to their international reputation? Let’s find out.
‘Ran For Cover’ tells the story of a wayward musician naval-gazing. It’s intriguing, surprisingly, and doesn’t get bogged down in the cliches of typical introspective efforts. The imagery is particularly impactful, especially with gorgeous lines like:
“I spent the winter in Denver – a mile high but no closer to God”
There’s a strong parallel to be made to artists like Peter Gabriel. The lead vocalist has a very Gabriel-esque sound, and the pop sensibility is similar, too. This, of course, makes sense since Magazine Gap is often billed as “the UK’s answer to Maroon 5, OneRepublic, and Imagine Dragons.” (Frankly, the quality of this single trumps recent releases from any of those acts.)
The production and performances on ‘Ran For Cover’ are notably excellent. The whole song is composed around a repeated riff on the piano that’s emphasized on bass, guitar, and, most wonderfully, with a brass section. It gives Magazine Gap’s sound a very epic, bombastic feel. ‘Ran For Cover’ is dramatic and intense, but not in a superficial way, rather, an emotional way. That’s complemented massively by the superb lead vocalist. He’s the kind of talent one can listen to all day long, effortlessly maneuvering through an impressive vocal range.
‘Ran For Cover’ walks a fantastic line between rock and pop, which is obviously what Magazine Gap is striving to achieve. They have a leg up on their competition, however, because their cohesiveness as a quality outfit is incredible. This is pop-infused music performed by veteran musicians; not a producer toying with Pro Tools. ‘Ran For Cover’ melts classic and contemporary influence into a sound that is truly unique to Magazine Gap. It’s highly dance-able, too, and I suspect the band is a riot to see live.
