This is a review of "Magic Words" recorded by The Artists. The review was written by Johnny Harris in 2012.

'Magic Words' is the second offering from Leeds based band The Artists, the four track EP shows the band developing into a more polished band with an increasingly huge sound. Overall The Artists' sound resembles the American stadium rock of the 80s and the tracks wouldn't feel out of place on a best of Hair Metal LP, whether this is positive or negative is reliant on personal taste.

The opening track 'Here Comes The Storm' is the obligatory whining track about the evil ex. And although all the elements of the song are strong enough, there's the driving rhythm section, impressive lead vocals and guitar even a sprinkling of piano, the song seems a little insipid and follows a rather tired formula. Lyrically there's not much to brag about either although they don't fall into the bracket of head slappingly mindless but lines like, 'She's cold, she's hot, she'll steal everything you got' aren't going to be received with wide eyed wonderment any time soon. The second track 'Forced to Follow' follows much in the same vein and begs to be simplified from the American sounding rock that really should have gone out of fashion with tight leather trousers.

However things begin to improve with the melodic title track 'Magic Words' that shows that there is individuality in the young Leeds rockers. The verse and chorus structure are well worked and the song becomes almost anthemic, even if it does drag on for around a minute too long. The final track changes tack again to the middle of the road Razorlight sound of the mid 2000s, which highlights the issue with this EP. The band are quite clearly capable musically but until they decide what 'their sound' is and stick with it, they'll forever sound like an ipod on shuffle.