Who wants to hear a story? No one? Then skip this paragraph. Six months ago I attended an Ed Harcourt concert with a friend. I wasn't expecting much. When the support band waddled on stage armed with little more than acoustic guitar and glockenspiels I expected even less, yet five minutes later I was swaying like a retarded sailor, my ears filling with the aural equivalent of the purest honey. That band was The Magic Numbers. Through the whole set I gazed slackjawed at the stage, finding it hard to believe that this beautiful sound was coming from this ‘less than petite' bunch. I knew in around six months time I would be hearing the music of The Magic Numbers a lot more. But I couldn't have predicted how underwhelmed I would be.
Whilst The Magic Numbers live show melts the heart with the raise of a voice and a single strum of a guitar this single misses the mark by a considerable amount, the three part harmonies and happy-go-sickly guitar riff/s bringing to mind The Beautiful South at their most... shit. It could be said that ‘Love Me Like You' is quintessentially a classic summer feel-good track, but amidst the hurricanes and threat of more terrorist attacks is it really what we need? Yes? Oh. But if that's true then get Hal to re-release 'Worry Bout The Wind', a track that's similar but many times more enjoyable.
You really can't appreciate The Magic Numbers on record, especially on this, one of their weakest tracks. But do believe the hype of their live shows, and catch them while you can still get close enough to smell the barbecue sauce on their shirts.
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5Jordan Dowling's Score