Duane Hoover
Magic Mirror Story Book
Lighthouse Records
Atlanta-based musician Duane Hoover releases his new album, Magic Mirror Story Book. Produced by Hoover, the album was recorded at his home studio.
Magic Mirror Story Book follows on the heels of Hoover’s album Wayward Path, which was released in April of this year. The new album’s sound harks back to the Brit invasion of the ‘60s and ‘70s, amalgamated with tangs of NYC punk.
Of the 15 tracks on Magic Mirror Story Book, high points include “Inside World,” a song that recalls Golden Earring covering Neil Young, a kind of raw, slinking tune that presses against the atmosphere with dark energy.
Reminiscent of The Beatles, “Everyday Girl” features a unique doubled-snare beat that supports gleaming guitars and Hoover’s Lennon-like vocals. “Even Now,” another Beatles-flavored tune, works well because of the Harrison-esque guitar accents.
“I Can’t Decide” is The Beatles gone country. There’s a downhome, almost psychedelic twang to the guitars and a straight-ahead cowboy pulse to the rhythm.
Talking about the song, Duane says, “I wanted a song so simple like Katy Perry’s ‘Hot N Cold.’ So simple and catchy that younger kids could sing along.”
Straight out of the ‘60s, the lysergic-laced guitar of “This Time” shimmers with reverberating colors as Hoover’s soft, whispery voice imbues the lyrics with dreamy tones.
Dirty bluesy textures give “Surfin Spy” a grimy yet secretive feel, like something out of the ‘60s television series Secret Agent, starring Patrick McGoohan. Full of edgy shadows, Hoover’s embellished vocals infuse the lyrics with sordid timbres.
For some reason, “Strange Side Effects” conjures up suggestions of Lou Reed, with its grungy textures of punk-lite merged with chugging R&B. Think of it as blues-punk slowed down to a manageable tempo. The result is addictive and leaves you feeling uneasy in your skin.
A sleazy blues rocker, “Sometimes Things Happen That Way” rides a gritty rhythm that’s a bit loose, allowing the melody to simultaneously roll and slide. The snarling lead guitar injects curling, bluesy colors.
With Magic Mirror Story Book, Duane Hoover delivers an album drenched in echoes of the ‘60s and ‘70s, but with a modern interface.
