There is not enough love for Piano Magic in the world. Not even a fan page on the world wide web. The first time I heard about them was in 2001 (they were formed 5 years before) in this Classic or Dud thread at ILM. Gareth who is a fan equated them with November, the last month of autumn, there. The discussion finished quite disastrously. Even the critics seem to have given up on this London band fronted by Glen Johnson which has changed personnel and record label after almost every release.

Only recently when reading agenbyte's top ten of 2003 I stumbled upon them again. He mentions a new album which came out end of last year: The Troubled Sleep of Piano Magic. There are two real audio links on the news section of their site. The first track, Saint Marie is a minimalistic electronic instrumental. The other one, Comets is a slow atmospheric ballad with a woman singing in a sort of sprechgesang.

The song which made me get into them was the impressionist The Canadian Brought Us Snow (hosted at epitonic). It is like a still life or something. Very far away from today's stressful world. Somehow this makes me think a bit of Boards of Canada.

But what really made me heart this band is the concert they gave in 2002 in Paris for Radio Planet Claire. The nine tracks of the concert have been preserved on mp3.

The first group I associated with Piano Magic was Joy Division and they actually begin their set with a cover of Exercise One. It starts slowly with many strange electronic sounds. Later on bass and drums get the song going. Then the guitar and the voice which isn't too far from Curtis I find, join in. A cover that adds something to the original.

The next song No Closure I don't like too much as I find it too heavy. And the chorus is annoying. From the title and the dark mood it again conjures up memories of Joy Division.

You & John Are Birds is a nice atmospheric song with a catchy little tune. There is something joyous and playful about it though it isn't a happy song.

The Season Is Long is a slow affair including a violin. Like the Dirty Three with a blot of Tindersticks.

The first Untitled starts with percussion and a bass guitar. It has almost got a rock feel. Some great hypnotic drumming on this one.

The next track is Untitled again. It is pretty long and slowly rising in speed and volume. Reminding me a little of Godspeed You Black Emperor! .

Already Ghosts is next. Dominated by low keyboard and synthesizer lines. This is very sombre. But in a fascinating way. Listening to this is like feeling the physical attraction towards the abyss.

The blog post title song (Music won't save you from anything but) Silence is a little bit disappointing. The lyrics and the drumming just before the end are the highlights of this song.

The concert finishes with Password in a drone of (electronic?) strings. Phantastic drumming again.

Piano Magic in this concert sounded like a New Order including Ian Curtis could have sounded. New Order whose best album by the way is their first, Movement, their Ian Curtis memorial album. The contemporary band which comes closest to Piano Magic is Low, I think. No time constraints can be felt in the music of those two groups.