Nearly every perfunctory review I have read of Magic Lantern's "Platoon" compares it to Hendrix and talks a lot about how painful it is to hear a Hendrix imitation, because, and this is true, only Hendrix can do Hendrix without sounding like shite. The problem with this simplistic reduction is that Hendrix is only an influence on Magic Lantern's second LP (as is a lot of other psyche rockers like Amon Düül II, Pärson Sound and Ash Ra Tempel), his legacy is not the only thing at play here, and this is far from a Stevie Ray Vaughn record.
Magic Lantern is often sold as Cameron Stallones', a/k/a the much beloved round these parts, Sun Araw, "band." Although, actual history shows that Sun Araw came about while Stallones was working on Magic Lantern demos, and realized that what he was doing on his own was of a different vibe from his work with the band. So while Magic Lantern does sounds like a band that has Cameron Stallones as a member, and some songs bare his imprint more than others, it isn't fair to call this Cameron Stallones' band. "Platoon" is the work of a solid lock groove jam unit, with each of the five members adding their own voice to the mix.
While "Moon Lagoon Platoon," does sound a hell of a lot like a Sun Araw damaged tune, songs like the pounding "Planar/Sonor" rock out far more than anything Stallones has done on his own. The percussion heavy piece pulsates at first with a repeated psyche guitar squelch, but eventually grows into a dark and heated jam of epic proportions, culminating with heavy climactic stops and starts. Other songs like "On the Dime," and "Dark Cicadas" do bare that Hendrix influence, but it is shot through the filter of so many of the lost, obscure dusty soul and kraut grooves that have found their way onto many a hipster's turntable in recent years. "Friendship" ends the album on a grand note, with something akin to the Experience jamming with Sun Araw, backed by Phil Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble. It's a massive burner and one that is so good that you don't care if this does indeed resemble more than a passing glance to Hendrix.
Magic Lantern may not be reinventing the wheel, but they are a hell of a lot more powerful and fun than most stodgy Hendrix wannabes or crappy psyche jam bands. This is a psyche jam band that is actually good, and I mean good in the way that those of us who hate jam bands can dig. Their power lies mainly in their ability to lay down muscular guitar flourishes over heavy grooves. Yeah, maybe there will be some asshole doing the hippie dance to this stuff, but there may also be a hesher banging his head as well, while some hipster decked out in American Apparel leggings gets her groove on in the corner.
Some Magic Lantern live
Poor video, but decent audio of "Dark Cicadas" live
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