7/10
When touring in Australia, Peach Pit’s lead vocalist Neil Smith found himself fascinated by the country’s magpie birds. “I wrote Magpie down on my phone when we were in Australia after seeing the birds flying around. I didn’t think too much of it other than, ‘Wow, that sounds like a really good name for a song,’” he told Atwood Magazine. That song is now the title track of the band’s fourth studio album, Magpie.
Despite having a few solid tracks, Magpie doesn’t live up to the standard set by its exceptional predecessors: Being So Normal, You and Your Friends (2020), and From 2 to 3 (2022). For the most part, Magpie is about adolescent love, but its contrasting songs leave the project feeling somewhat discombobulated. Even so, the album’s diverse sounds are engaging.
Magpie’s buoyant mood and quick pace is a departure from From 2 to 3’s slower rhythms and melancholic themes. Smith claimed this change was purposeful since the band prefers to play upbeat songs live.
This bright undercurrent is noticeable right off the bat in the first song, the energetic track “Every Little Thing.” The steady drumming and guitar sequence, accompanied by a catchy chorus, hooks listeners from the start.
“Every Little Thing” describes the early stages of a relationship, when the narrator is discontented even while falling for a seemingly perfect person. “Every little thing about you I fixate in the guttеr / You’re perfect in a couplе of different ways, buddy,” Smith sings. The song contributes to the album’s motif of the difficulties of young romance. It’s captivating, an easy listen, and certainly one of the album’s stand-out tracks.
The second track, “Yasmina,” was first performed in the summer of 2023, but despite fans’ high anticipation of its release, it was dropped an entire year later. With pronounced guitar riffs, heavy percussion, and a somewhat lengthy guitar solo, the song details the feelings of obsession and lust that are expected in new relationships. The song is solid, but its lyrics and sound are not especially memorable or distinctive compared to the other tracks on the record.
“Am I Your Girl,” which was also performed before its release, owes its title to a scene in the movie Call Me By Your Name, where the protagonist is asked by a woman who speaks little English, “Am I your girl?” This track is notably serene, incorporating acoustic guitar and subdued vocals. But with the exception of a moderately enjoyable guitar-centered bridge, the song is forgettable, repetitive, and arguably unnecessary.
Making a drastic shift from the previous track, the verses in “Little Dive” contain intense guitar progressions and a prominent drum sequence. After each verse, the song’s tempo abruptly quickens, changing the entire mood of the song. The incongruity between the verses and the chorus makes the song one of the most interesting on the album.
“Outta Here” characterizes someone who is distraught at their fruitless attempts at forgetting an ex: “Now that you’ve left and you’re on your own / Am I just some pictures deep in your iPhone? / Do I cry alone?” The song’s calm energy and sorrowful writing are an intermission from the rest of the album’s upbeat sound, distinguishing it from other tracks and ultimately making it one of the strongest.
“Did You Love Somebody” is also a slower, acoustic cut and is the best of the three pre-released singles. Accompanied by a soothing guitar progression, Smith repeats, “Just let me chew / On all the things you want to tell me.” An understated electric guitar solo near the end of the song is what secures its distinction as one of the album’s best.
“St. Mark’s Funny Feeling” follows an individual who feels like their prayers for a romance to recur are futile. The song also describes Smith’s struggle with religion, “You said that Sabbath day’s coming / I’m already through / I believe that I was staying just for you.” In terms of composition, the song is one of the best. Quirky guitar riffs adjunct to catchy vocals give way to a memorable guitar solo during the bridge. The lyrics, on the other hand, follow a theme that is not present anywhere else in the album, contributing to its incohesive listening experience.
The title track “Magpie” contends with “Did You Love Somebody” for the best track on the album. It executes well the upbeat vibe the band intended to create with this record.
Contrasting its upbeat tone, “Magpie” follows the story of someone struggling with compulsive drinking habits. Despite the track’s woeful undertones, it manages to be the album’s most exhilarating song, with an overall optimistic feeling.
Distinctive and catchy in its own right, “Nowhere Next to Me” is yet another one of the album’s highlights. A steady electric guitar compliments Smith’s vocals, allowing for a smooth listening experience. The lyrics, however, conjure an entirely different image. The narrator describes someone who is aware their partner is cheating but not wanting to end the relationship, “Buttercup, hold me, lie to me / Tell me there’s peace inside to be,” Smith sings.
Making multiple references to death, “Your Long Black Hair” is a pensive and grim finish to the album. Lyrics like “I’ve been thinking of a one-night train from this world” and “I’ve been thinking up a railroad track / Humming off into the black” convey a despondent mood. While it tries to do something different, the lyrics are repetitive, rendering it the album’s most banal song.
It’s clear Peach Pit is capable of making something a bit more special than what’s found on this record—maybe they’re saving it for album five. While we’re waiting for that, Magpie is a perfectly satisfactory and enjoyable project to pass the time.
