Magic Box (also known by its cover title as The Loved Ones' Magic Box) is the debut and sole studio album from Australian rock band The Loved Ones. Since its release, it has become a cult favourite among fans of Australian rock music.
| Magic Box | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1967 | |||
| Recorded | 1966 - 1967 | |||
| Studio | Armstrong Studios, Melbourne, Australia. | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Label | W&G Records | |||
| The Loved Ones chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Magic Box | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Everybody's | mixed[1] |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
History edit
The group began work on the album in 1967. Despite having several national hits, their record label W&G Records would not allow the band to record in state-of-the art 4-track facilities. In August, the band would self-finance their own 4- track recording session in Sydney. These tapes were rejected by W&G, who thought the recording levels were too high and shelved the tracks altogether, preferring to record the band at the same sound level as a string quartet.
The band would disband after a disastrous two-week tour of Perth where the promoters disappeared with the money. Magic Box was released shortly after using a combination of recently recorded songs, previously released singles and unreleased studio warm-ups ("Shake Rattle And Roll" and "I Want You To Love Me").[3][4]
Releases and current mastering issues edit
The album was released in both mono and stereo by W&G Records in 1967 on both LP and reel to reel stereo tape. The album remained a popular seller and was reissued in stereo by Astor Records in 1977.
The album was reissued in 1985 on Glenn A. Baker's label Raven Records with a different track order and bonus tracks. However, when the album was remastered, only the left hand channel of the stereo master was used. This means some instruments and an intro to 'Sad Dark Eyes' (an electric piano in the right hand channel) are missing on the Raven Records release. The 1995 Karussell compact disc uses the Raven Records master as its source, meaning the true stereo or mono version of Magic Box has never been released on compact disc or reissued to vinyl since 1977. Both CD reissues included a Wild Cherries rehearsal take of 'Without You', which has been incorrectly attributed to the Loved Ones.
In 2019, the album was reissued for Record Store Day in hot pink coloured vinyl. While the release restores the songs to their original 1967 track listing, this release still uses the faulty Raven master with the missing right channel.
Reception edit
The album received mixed contemporary reviews criticizing the production and that the selection of songs did not representing the band's sound: "...50 percent of it harks back to the jazz scene of the 30s, and through it runs a silver thread of genius. Pity."[5]
Since its release the album has acquired a cult following. Though Allmusic gave the album a 4.5 star, writer Richie Unterberger said: "The rest of the material is usually less fearsome and innovative, though much of it still carries an air of subdued menace."
The album was included in the 2010 book, '100 Best Australian Albums'.[6][7]
Track listings edit
Original 1967 LP release edit
Side A edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Magic Box" | Gerry Humphreys, Rob Lovett, Danny De Lacy, Gavin Anderson, Treva Richards | 1:58 |
| 2. | "Shake, Rattle & Roll" | Charles Calhoun | 3:14 |
| 3. | "More Than Love" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Kim Lynch, Richards | 2:09 |
| 4. | "Everlovin' Man" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Lynch, Richards | 2:12 |
| 5. | "Blueberry Hill" | Al Lewis, Larry Stock, Vincent Rose | 2:38 |
| 6. | "Love Song" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Richards | 2:12 |
Side B edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Love Like Ours" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Lynch, Richards | 2.10 |
| 2. | "The Woman I Love" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Lynch, Richards | 3:14 |
| 3. | "I Want You To Love Me" | Muddy Waters | 2:42 |
| 4. | "The Loverly Car" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Lynch, Richards | 1:56 |
| 5. | "Sad Dark Eyes" | Humphreys, Lovett, De Lacy, Anderson, Lynch, Richards | 2:14 |
| 6. | "The Loved One" | Humphreys, Lovett, Ian H. Clyne | 2:45 |
Reissues edit
The Raven Records reissue and subsequent reissues have a mastering error where only the left channel of the stereo mix was used and panned mono.
1985 Raven reissue edit
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Loved One" | 2.45 | |
| 2. | "Everlovin' Man" | 2:08 | |
| 3. | "Sad Dark Eyes" (Faulty stereo. Missing right channel and 7 seconds of the electric piano intro.) | 2.14 | |
| 4. | "A Love Like Ours" | 2:10 | |
| 5. | "Love Song" | 2:12 | |
| 6. | "Blueberry Hill" | 2.38 | |
| 7. | "Shake, Rattle & Roll" | 3:14 | |
| 8. | "This Is Love" (Bonus track from the "Blueberry Hill" EP) | Ian H. Clyne | 2:25 |
| 9. | "Magic Box" | 1.58 | |
| 10. | "More Than Love" | 2:09 | |
| 11. | "The Woman I Love" | 1:58 | |
| 12. | "The Loverly Car" | 1:56 | |
| 13. | "I Want You To Love Me" | 2:45 | |
| 14. | "(I'm No Good) Without You (Rehearsal)" (this track is actually by the Wild Cherries NOT the Loved Ones) | 3.47 | |
| 15. | "Everlovin' Man (Live at Festival Hall, Melbourne, April 23, 1967)" | 2:08 | |
| 16. | "Ongo Bongo Man" (Gerry & The Joy Band) | ||
| 17. | "Rave On" (Gerry & The Joy Band) | ||
| 18. | "Oh Lonesome Me" (Gerry & The Joy Band) | ||
| 19. | "My Name Is Earl" (Gerry & The Joy Band) |
1995 Karussell reissue edit
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Loved One" | 2.45 |
| 2. | "Everlovin' Man" | 2:08 |
| 3. | "Sad Dark Eyes" | 2.14 |
| 4. | "A Love Like Ours" | 2:10 |
| 5. | "Love Song" | 2:12 |
| 6. | "Blueberry Hill" | 2.38 |
| 7. | "Shake, Rattle & Roll" | 3:14 |
| 8. | "This Is Love" | 2:25 |
| 9. | "Magic Box" | 1.58 |
| 10. | "More Than Love" | 2:09 |
| 11. | "The Woman I Love" | 1:58 |
| 12. | "The Loverly Car" | 1:56 |
| 13. | "I Want You To Love Me" | 2:45 |
| 14. | "(I'm No Good) Without You (Rehearsal)" (this track is actually by the Wild Cherries NOT the Loved Ones) | 3.47 |
| 15. | "Everlovin' Man (Live at Festival Hall, Melbourne, April 1967)" | 2:08 |
| 16. | "Sad Dark Eyes (Live at Festival Hall, Melbourne, April 1967)" | 2:25 |
| 17. | "The Loved One (Live at Festival Hall, Melbourne, April 1967)" | 3:32 |
Personnel edit
- Gerry Humphrys – vocals
- Rob Lovett – guitar, bass
- Ian Clyne - electric piano, organ
- Kim Lynch - bass
- Gavin Anderson – drums
- Treva Richards – electric piano
- Danny DeLacey – guitar
References edit
- ^ "Hot LP Of The Week". Everybody's. Sydney, Australia: Australian Consolidated Press. November 1967.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ McIntyre, Iain (2006). Tomorrow is today : Australia in the psychedelic era, 1966-1970. Kent Town, S. Aust.: Wakefield Press. p. 208. ISBN 1862546975.
- ^ Miles, Richard (1999). More Than A Loved One. Moonlight Publications. p. 47. ISBN 9781876187224.
- ^ "Hot LP Of The Week". Everybody's. Sydney, Australia: Australian Consolidated Press. November 1967.
- ^ "110 Best Australian Albums by Toby Creswell". Hardie Grant Books. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (1 November 2017), The 110 Best Australian Albums, Hardie Grant Books, ISBN 978-1-74379-361-9