From the fanzine Hero Worship, Issue No. 3
by Gillian Hardy
A great pop song is a gorgeously wonderful thing. Something that gives you a lift, energy, enthusiasm, inspiration and leaves you open mouthed, capable only of mouthing "...wow" in awe. Magnapop write great pop songs all the time, seemingly incapable of writing anything that doesn't aspire to make the listener happy, refreshed and wanting more.
'Hot Boxing' should be played loud, no, make that LOUD, and often. Very often. But I shouldn't have to tell you that because once you hear and revel in it, you'll find it permanently glued to your record player until they release another slab of sparkling delight. Captain Bob Mould has made their sound explosive; Ruthie's guitars erupting out of the speakers like they could not be contained any longer, and at last some respect has been given to Linda's mintly cool vocals - up front and full, not buried anymore.
And the songs? Well, 9 of them are under 3 minutes long, which is always a good thing in my book as truly great pop songs never overstay their welcome. Things actually get off to a surprisingly slow start, 'Slowly, Slowly''s big, crashingly defiant opening chords getting proceedings off the ground, but they soon roll into the inspiringly great 2 minute pop songs that attracted me to them in the first place. A reworked 'Lay It Down', 'Here It Comes', 'Free Mud', 'Get It Right' - all special, concise slabs of perfect energy to be loved. 'Texas', 'The Crush', and 'Emergency' are more restrained, giving the listener a space to breath and relax. Only 'Idiot Song' is astoundingly different, a strange little oddity with such an unashamedly 70s new wave riff that it had me in giggles when I first heard it.
A perfectly rounded monster of an album which should be the soundtrack of everyone's year. Well it'll be mine anyway.