The Mags, a band with roots in Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, have released their much-anticipated debut album, This Is The Mags. Packed with 11 electrifying tracks, the album is a modern homage to raw, unfiltered rock and roll, blending the spirit of early 2000s DIY bands with The Mags’ distinctive sound.
The album’s focus single, “My Girl My Heartache”, showcases the band’s ability to combine poetic lyricism with gritty musicality. Produced by Danny ‘Kootch’ Kortchmar (Billy Joel, John Lennon), Will Schillinger (The Beastie Boys, The Ramones), and mixed by Grammy-winner Matt Shane (Flight of the Conchords, Elvis Costello), This Is The Mags is a debut with undeniable pedigree.
“My Girl My Heartache” dives into the chaotic nature of young love. The song captures the vulnerability and intensity of being head-over-heels in love, where emotions are heightened and boundaries between individuals blur., Mike Kennedy the frontman of the band explains further "This track is about the chaotic nature of love. Specifically, young love. It’s about being obsessed with someone, head over heels in love, and when they feel the same you almost merge minds. It’s a beautiful and terrifying position to be in. Lyrically, this is one of the more 'poetic' songs on the album. I’d been listening to a lot of Bunnymen songs at the time, so there’s some fantasy and metaphor at play which rarely appear in The Mags' material."
“This Is The Mags” captures the magic of DIY rock bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys while carving out a unique space for The Mags. With production and engineering by legendary industry figures and the band’s own dynamic energy, the album is a thrilling debut. Having moved from Liverpool to New York to expand their musical horizons, The Mags are now back in the UK looking to close out the year strong with their debut album.