The members of Tennessee's Magic Kids take the sweetest sounds of pop and distill them into lethal doses. If music ever needs FDA approval in the future, bands like this will be the reason why; Magic Kids' sugar-coated songs paint a mental picture of smiling clouds and double rainbows, with a unicorn or two tossed in for good measure.
"Little Red Radio" isn't the most upbeat moment on the band's debut album, Memphis, but it gets the point across. With jangly guitars and boyish vocals leading the way, there's not an abrasive sound in sight. The hook comes on so fast, it's easy to miss, especially since so much candied instrumentation comes before and after it.
Later, "Little Red Radio" introduces keyboards, which join forces with splashes of violin as the song settles into a "do-do" bridge. This and an overall message about saving the radio with a fresh set of batteries confirm that, yes, this is unfettered pop music, through and through. The song ends on a surprisingly anticlimactic note, softly rippling outward like waves on a pond, but by that point, there's no reason to turn the little red radio off. Best to stay tuned.
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