Here We Go Magic: Pigeons

When Brooklyn folkie Luke Temple headed into his bedroom with a four-track, he emerged in 2009 with a new nom de rock for a set of fittingly spare, experimental songs that almost sounded unfinished. Now that he has a five-piece band, though, Here We Go Magic’s second album is completely full, both in sound and ideas. Starting with the opening aerobics of “Hibernation,” Pigeons boasts a surprisingly large dose of fidgety, Feelies-derived rock, replete with rubbery basslines and yelped verses. The only holdover from Here We Go Magic’s debut—the only reason, presumably, that Temple didn’t come up with a new name for this project—is a sort of watery, blue-toned lushness. On the standout track “Collector,” the fusion of ambience and kinetic power adds up to a climax that Broken Social Scene might envy, while on the gut-punching “Casual,” keyboards drift about like free-floating memories as Temple sighs, “It’s casual, not heartbreaking.” Some songs meander, though, so when taken as a whole, the album tends to wash together. But for those who are intrigued, Temple and company have provided plenty to dive into.