While the songs aren't as solid as their sophomore album, The Magic of the Blue or their 1974 debut the highlight tracks tend to be the early disco sounds of We're on the Right Track and The Magic of the Blue (not sure if this was left off its namesake album). These heavy synthesizer and horn dance floor fillers full of ethereal vocals may have helped with the burgeoning disco crowd but ultimately wouldn't fit with the group or audiences. That same old problem too soul for disco and too disco for soul.
They are a ballad group and although the slow, bossa nova/ upbeat funk rock of Stop And Get Ahold Yourself is well executed, their velvet harmonies didn't gel with heavy funk arrangements as well as they did on the lush, Philadelphia International produced instrumentals.
The Loneliest House on the Block is the best with its sparkling array of ringing electric sitars and keyboards as well as rasping horns, coruscating strings and glittering vibes. They all strike twice like a doorbell motif running through the song musically telling the story of a lonely man waiting for a lover to return and ring the bell to come in.
The hook of describing the house where the windows remain closed and the doors locked is a nice simple visual idea. The address of the house is the album title, 13 Blue Magic Lane; its an expressionistic touch if a little corny, that the street would be named after the group. While the fact it's No 13 displays the group's long running theme of being cursed in love that is the subject of their biggest hits Sideshow and Three Ring Circus as well as this album (check out other album highlight Born on Halloween).
The light Italian stringed Pizzicato is a beautiful and unique addition capturing the heartache exquisitely. While the weepy bridge is enlivened by Ted Mills' soaring falsetto, the tearful couplet is tight and sums up the desperation perfectly as follows;
I'll watch the street from end to end Waiting for the day to let you into
The song fades out in a wistful coda as the address is sung out against a dreamy backdrop of plucked strings, endless glissandos, Pizzicato strums and more Philly flourishes.
It's the first of many cool sonic uses of outros/ intros, a more prog or pysch rock thing to do. One example is when a short choral rendition of 'The Magic of the Blue, Captivating You', the refrain of the prior song starts off the next track, I Like You. While you can hear ghostly female vocalists and more effects like wolf cries throughout this three dimensional package; its a colourful, Pink Floyd esque effort and a heavily underrated philly styled disco album.
The hook of describing the house where the windows remain closed and the doors locked is a nice simple visual idea. The address of the house is the album title, 13 Blue Magic Lane; its an expressionistic touch if a little corny, that the street would be named after the group. While the fact it's No 13 displays the group's long running theme of being cursed in love that is the subject of their biggest hits Sideshow and Three Ring Circus as well as this album (check out other album highlight Born on Halloween).
The light Italian stringed Pizzicato is a beautiful and unique addition capturing the heartache exquisitely. While the weepy bridge is enlivened by Ted Mills' soaring falsetto, the tearful couplet is tight and sums up the desperation perfectly as follows;
I'll watch the street from end to end Waiting for the day to let you into
The song fades out in a wistful coda as the address is sung out against a dreamy backdrop of plucked strings, endless glissandos, Pizzicato strums and more Philly flourishes.
It's the first of many cool sonic uses of outros/ intros, a more prog or pysch rock thing to do. One example is when a short choral rendition of 'The Magic of the Blue, Captivating You', the refrain of the prior song starts off the next track, I Like You. While you can hear ghostly female vocalists and more effects like wolf cries throughout this three dimensional package; its a colourful, Pink Floyd esque effort and a heavily underrated philly styled disco album.
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