Magic 8Ball / Mac Ayres / January 8, 2021
- Joshua Yoo
- Jan 10, 2021
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 13, 2021
Shaking the magic 8ball always seems to provide some solace, albeit any real answers. Yet Mac Ayres seems to be looking for the truth about his musings on love, as ‘Magic 8Ball’ shares questions of heartbreak and resolution in all different types of ways. The result is an assorted collection of styles both familiar and new for Ayres, personal about the questioning and loneliness of this past year, and still groovy as hell.
The growth and evolution of Ayres’ artistry has always been evident in each of his projects, yet despite the trim runtime, ‘Magic 8Ball’ may be his most stylistically diverse project to date. “Brand New” has that dependable smooth charm that he’s perfected over the years, but the novel string arrangements and doo-wop rhythm breathe life into the track, unfolding like a beautiful spring day. His confidence also shows on “Nothing Else,” vocally thriving on an unfamiliarly quicker tempo and flow for his usual style.
Nothing on this album is wholly and truly brand new for Ayres, however, which although leads to some underwhelming moments, it still benefits the record because he is great at what he normally does. The head-bopping jam session groove of “Almost Home” remains undeniably catchy, and the beautifully immersive atmosphere he creates on “Sunny & 62” harks back to the emotional potency of much of his previous work.
With this release, Mac Ayres continues to find the balance between cultivating his artistic progression and retaining his individual style. Despite the title, he’s proven that he doesn’t need luck or fortune to continue doing so either.
Highlight(s): Nothing Else, Brand New, Sunny & 62, Almost Home, Sometimes
Lowlight(s): Every Time
SCORE: 7/10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvXCVUUIyBk
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