Dead Broke / Specialist Subject (2019)
There are a handful of bands that are sure fire hits for me if you drop their names in a RIYL list. The most obvious one is Leatherface. You mention the Sunderland boys and it's a guarantee that I'll give that band a chance. Also very high on the list are two that were used to describe Adult Magic; Superchunk and Sugar. As soon as I saw that those two were referenced, I knew I had to add Adult Magic to the collection.
Now I certainly can see touchstones of those two bands. Adult Magic employs a thick and crunchy guitar tone that is so very much like Bob Mould and other guitar heroes from the 90s. And the way they are able to wrap their vocal melodies around around the guitar riffage certainly brings to mind moments of Superchunk. Acknowledging those two bands, Adult Magic isn't a copy of either. They are forging their own way at times bringing in other influences and sounds. Sometimes I hear a nod to mellower bands like Silver Scooter, while at other times things get a little punchier not unlike the very best of The Weakerthans.
I'll be honest, that's a lot of comparisons for one paragraph, but ultimately what you need to know is the Adult Magic are creating some really excellent, 90s influenced guitar pop songs. They've got the hooks where you want them and the melodies where you need them. Their debut is definitely worth checking out, especially if you dig on the sounds of twenty five years ago as much as I do.
Adult Magic - Adult Magic:
https://adultmagic.bandcamp.com/album/adult-magic-2
