Swami (2026)
I have been talking about Mrs. Magician since the moment I acquired some of their early 7"s. I really dug those singles, but I was not prepared for their debut full length in 2012, Strange Heaven. It instantly became an all timer for me and I often mention it as my favorite record of the last however many years (though at this point, that however is getting to be a pretty big number). Their 2016 follow up Bermuda was also my album of that year. But then we didn't hear a whole lot from Mrs. Magician. For about a decade.
Spiritual Hangover is the 2026 return of Mrs. Magician, though this time Jacob Turnbloom is collaborating with a new crew that make up the band. I would be lying if I said this didn't give me pause when I first heard that. The main reason being that during Mrs. Magician downtimes there were some very good Jacob Turnbloom solo records, but they were different from Mrs. Magician. I wanted this record to feel like the others. Luckily, any worries I had evaporated almost immediately as Spiritual Hangover is exactly what I need from a Mrs. Magician record.
If you like Mrs. Magician already, you go in with a certain set of expectations. You want the reverb tinged, surf hooks. You want interesting chord progressions that break down into side quests, but come right back where they're supposed to be. And then you expect to be popped in the jaw with a picture perfect hook. All the while, you've got lyrics that demand repeated listens to try to catch every one of the nuggets that are thrown out there. I've always sort have found the lyrics to be humorously depressing or having a feeling of resigned optimism. There's crappy stuff out there and a Mrs. Magician record will point those things out, but in a way that makes you begrudging laugh and realize you've got to keep pushing through even if some things seem kind of hopeless.
Every time I've listened to this record I just dig it more and more. To the point where I think it's even better than Bermuda. I love the scrappy production that while still sounding clean and warm, manages to have those fuzzy elements that keeps it feeling real and not over produced. This is a band with a near flawless catalog and I am so happy whenever I get to hear something new. I just wish these records would come out more often. Ten years is way too long to wait!
(PS - I am pretty sure the black vinyl was limited to 250 copies, but I can't find where I thought I read that. I'll update that info if it's wrong.)
Mrs. Magician - Spiritual Hangover:
