First things first, Jack Beauregard is a band and not a person. Well, in this context, at least, as they've taken their name from the character played by Henty Fonda in the 1973 film 'My Name is Nobody'. There's nothing overtly spaghetti Western about the album, although the spoof film is notable for its Enio Morricone soundtrack, which is unusually eclectic and incorporates a large range of styles. So the reference does count for something.
Oh, and who said that the Germans lacked a sense of humour? Jack Beauregard don't only weave magical spells of indie-pop wonderment, but have a song about the impossible dilemma of choosing between a girl and his guitar. OK, it's hardly a side-splitter, but it is told in a way that has the capacity to raise a smile.
'The Magazines You Read' holds other surprises, too: on the surface, many of the songs are rather fluffy 80s influenced indie, with soft-focus edges and retro drum sounds, but beneath the surface there's more going on, with simmering layers of tension and a carefully poised production making for an album that's worth a little perseverance, despite the fact that 'Show Me Your Love' sounds like Peter Skellern playing a Beatles cover.
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'All Those Tears' has all the hallmarks of an Oasis song in its chorus, but played softly and subtly rather than belting it out, pub-rock style, and there's an alluring hint of Interpol about the brooding 'Gold Mine' that brings the album to its conclusion.
It's nothing like the magazines I read, but then that's by the by.
Jack Beauregard on MySpace
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