The latest musical offering from pop/rock band, A Story Told, is an electric-charged adrenaline ride of breathtaking hooks, pop breakdowns, and intricate storytelling in the lyrics to have lasting value. Mundane Magic is the fourth studio album from the Charleston, West Virginia band that is blossoming at just the right moment in their career. “Mundane Magic is the best way that I could possibly sum up this musical journey that the three of us have been on for years,” says vocalist Alex Chaney. “A friend once told me that the industry is a pendulum. You leave relevancy as quickly as you find it. I’m unapologetically proud to say our biggest strength is our consistency and commitment to truly being ourselves through our music and deeply committing to each part of the machine that makes us, us.” With a crisp musical delivery similar to bands like Bad Suns, The Cab, and Grayscale, A Story Told are making sure this album cycle is a memorable one.
The LP launches off on the right foot with the atmospheric vibes put out on “Heaven Doesn’t Care,” a reflective song that marks a moment in time, but also shows just how far the band has come in their collective music careers. Other songs like the pop bliss of “High Class” and the musically stunning “Superstitious” highlight the band’s growth as musicians and songwriters, and show a band willing to take big risks for big rewards.
The title track is sandwiched right in the middle section of the record, and it makes its mark. The memorable song tackles the ins and outs of fractured relationships and finding the best path forward when things break down. Chaney’s brilliant vocal attack allows for the song to hit its intended heights. My personal favorite in the set, “Feels Like We Made It,” features a choppy vocal attack in the verses paired with a chorus that would make pop stalwarts, The Maine, incredibly proud.
The back section of the LP never loses its early momentum, with songs like “Never Around,” the mid-tempo ballad of “Love It Here,” the bouncy “My Place,” the lighters in the air magic of “Choked Up,” and everything culminates to the closing song of “Rodeo.” On the final song of this era of the band, the three musicians reflect on how far they’ve come together, and still leave the door wide open in the realm of possibilities for where they can take their music next. Mundane Magic is a record that you can put on in any mood, and your day will ultimately be better off because you took the time to go on this majestic journey with A Story Told.