original prog indie sound you crave, “Crash Of Cassini”

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Magnuson – Crash Of Cassini – Mini Review

By Pernell Fowler  //  Music Reviews  //  No Comments

The volatility of two minds coming together for a single project, can be pretty captivating — some duos even have the same lasting power and impression that talented multi-membered outfits share. Kyrsten and Greg Magnunson (a last name that doesn’t sound at all ridiculous) don’t let a little thing like an overwhelming crowded music scene or the fact they play a whole bands worth of instruments get them down. The team recently released their new full-length “Crash Of Cassini,” which are fourteen tracks of what some have called “the most musical mayhem ever created by a girl and a boy,” despite the fact that the best and most influential girl/boy combo of the last decade must be the French duo, The White Stripes. Magnuson does have bass and keyboards in their music (as well as female vocals) and even though it would be hard for them to play by themselves live, it is a more all-around whole sound then Jack and Meg White. While the sludgy opening track “Dark Reality” utilized phaser-effect guitars and a splash of progressive indie, I really dug the melodic fretwork of “Real Control,”  the early Incubus-influence heard on the riffs in “Blame” and the wild vocals and guitars on “The Scout.” I was actually blown away by what these two could record and mix, essentially by themselves (even live, they switch instruments with each other in between songs without flinching and continue.) — as Greg produced the album. It isn’t a “thick” sound, as guitars are gain-heavy and Kyrstal’s vocals are placed front-and-center for most tracks, but with the layered instruments and charming song progress, it never feels watered down or uncreative. Especially when you come to one of the full-length’s more powerful tracks, “Forever Saturday,” which pounds out staircase hard rock riffs, crashes cymbals and even has Greg shouting at the top of his lungs at one point. So if you don’t need several members to give you the original prog indie sound you crave, “Crash Of Cassini” hides a selection of melodic and genuine gems, even if it sounds like it was recorded in a walk-in closet and the duo’s vocal teaming falls flat in parts.

Release Date: Spring 2011
Record Label: Homeless Rerun Music
Genre: Prog Rock
RIYL: Mew, Muse, Boxing Gandhis
Track Listing:
1. Dark Reality
2. Real Control
3. Blame
4. Dying To See
5. Somewhere
6. Stars Collide
7. Let Me Go
8. The Scout
9. Never Know
10. Forever Saturday
11. Fear & Deception
12. Vibration Girl
13. Here & Now
14. Strange Lights