And the Lonely No More EP will be out in the UK, 2^nd June 2008

Tracklisting

1.     Lonely No More

2.     Pennydrop

3.     1997

4.     Selfhelper

Magnet - The Simple Life Review
Posted By Holly L. Perry on 11.12.2007

Magnet: A subtance, usually metallic, that has the ability to attract similar substances with a force that is not electric or gravitational.

The Simple Life: A reality show depicting two wealthy young socialites as they struggle to do manual, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, doing farm work, serving meals in fast-food restaurants and working as camp counselors.

Magnet's The Simple Life: New album that made me wish that I had spent the hour listening to it while out delivering pizzas, Peter Parker sytle.

Magnet, also known as the Norwegian Even Johansen, draws you in on his fourth full length release with blends of folk with modern pop beats, horns, harmonicas and an array of symphonic strings. The album has eclectic characteristics - it's catchy, soft, upbeat, sweet, lovelorn and innocent. It makes you want to give Even a hug. It's sure to make female listeners swoon. He has developed a full sound with the array of instruments he pours into the songs, each one uniquely contributing to the album and captivating the listener enough to differentiate between them. Move over Jens Lekman.

His lyrics are sexually blatant and smirk inducing. He is clever and cute - you get the feeling he is singing to you. It is easy to relate to his passions and hopes of no more loneliness, untangling confused relationships and staying optimistic about unrequited love. His voice varies between a sugary coaxing to a crisp declaration. He seduces listeners in "Navigator" with sultry vocals, torn emotions and a somewhat tempestuous undertone. What will hook you, however, will be the thumping bass drum in "Lonely No More."

The Simple Life is easy to listen to, but you need to be in the mood for it. It's not incredibly exciting, and it is a bit much at points. While you may not recycle the album as a whole, individual songs will most likely make your playlists more than once. In addition to the above, check out "You Got Me" and "Slice of Heaven."

http://www.eyeheartmusic.com/reviews/review.php?review=188

• Recommended If You Like:
  • Jamie Cullum
  • Beck
  • Elliot Smith

Magnet

The Simple Life

rating: 5 of 5

Singer-songwriter Even Johansen recorded "The Simple Life" at his Norwegian farm's home studio. He played almost all of the instruments on the record himself then went in search of the perfect horn sections and string arrangement to round out the sound. The result is an excellent album full of fresh melodies and bold, yet simplistic rhythms.

All of which beg the question, "What exactly is Mr. Johansen growing on his farm?"

Throughout the album's 11 tracks, Johansen locked down tight percussion, giving each song its own distinct, propulsive personality featuring a variety of strategies: muted drums, xylophones, hand clapping. Yet, it's in these grooves that Magnet lets loose.

Working from a template that harkens back to stylized crooners like Dean Martin and Tony Bennett, Johansen's voice is soft and smooth, at times, just above a whisper. This delivery underlines the universal themes of everyday life, family and values found in his lyrics. From song to song, the ingredients remain unchanged but the recipe itself calls for changes in the harmonicas, strings, piano, windpipes, acoustic guitars and banjos, as well as the aforementioned battery of percussive instruments.

Within each composition is an unquestionable sense of soul along with grooves that rock regardless of the arrangement. The lead off track, "The Gospel Song," has a driving clap that melts with banjo plucking and humming before giving way to a large stretching string section. "She's Gone" features simple whistling and a Jack Johnson reggae rift that is meant for sunny beaches and relaxed toes. "Navigator" infuses a perfect combination of soft xylophone hammering, piano tinkling, sweeping horns and a snappy drum beat to convey the difficulties of saying no to a woman.

It is said that farm life is slower than city life. In fact, farms have a way of slowing a city person down. In choosing to remain close to his farmhouse home, Johansen fell into that serene, earth-communing pace and the resulting album, "The Simple Life," is in many ways similar: it grows steadily, dreamily and eventually straight into the heart.

~ , Jean-Paul (posted October 30, 2007)

Magnet
The Simple Life
(Filter)

Magnet, aka Even Johansen, is proof you can't bank a living on having one of your songs played on The O.C.

Appearing: Friday, November 2nd at Vic Theatre in Chicago.

There was nothing wrong with his cover of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay," but foisting Magnet's deceptively complex arrangements on a teen audience was a bit of a gamble. Now with his third album, The Simple Life, the Norwegian isn't taking another stab at the telly (though you wouldn't know from the title he chose), but honing his craft to fit somewhere in the commcercial purgatory of Rufus Wainwright, Turin Brakes, Josh Rouse, and Thomas Dybdahl. Judging by the amount of whistling here — the Seven Dwarfs are *not* credited on "She's Gone" — Johansen doesn't care. Borrowing from the likes of "Cecilia," Swizz Beatz, and rocksteady, his whisper-soft voice and trademark swirling strings shine flashlights on new corners before annexing them for his overall sound. The Simple Life might bemoan lost loves, but it's perfectly content with everything else it has going for it.

7

– Steve Forstneger

Magnet
The Simple Life
Filter U.S.

We say: Buy The Record

Genres:  Blues, Country/Alt-Country, Rock/Pop

On Magnet's genre-defying third album, Even Johansen's smooth, bluesy crooning is paired with a blend of primal rhythms, country banjo, and elegant horn and string accents. Johansen recorded and produced The Simple Life by himself, only bringing in other musicians for the horn and string arrangements. Johansen's personal attachment to the musical process is evident; the album maintains an intimate quality throughout despite the grandeur of many of the songs. Highlights include opening track "The Gospel Song," which explodes to life in a flurry of hand claps and foot stomps; "She's Gone," a Reggae-inflected breakup song that features jaunty whistling; and "Lucid," a gentle piano ballad. Classy, layered and mesmerizing, the songs on The Simple Life reaffirm Johansen's talent and unique songwriting vision.

- Kiri Oliver

Theowlmag.com

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