Magic Johnson

I just got off a pretty major Kills trip today, so Portland's Magic Johnson is definitely workin' it for me right about now.

While the duo's lineup is slightly different than the above mentioned group's -- "tag team drum/guitar duo Ana and Mando" bring the noise -- they've definitely a comparable aesthetic. With more shouting, D.I.Y. punk, and brash, lo-fi noise stirred into the mix. These two are connected to the Smell in L.A., mind. In fact, their latest 7" EP, Telenovelas (they sing in Spanish!), was released on the Smell's in-house label, olFactory Records (I've said it before, but man that's a great name). Six bucks for six songs!? What would you rather purchase? A lame $.99 iTunes track or a ragin' wax-embedded powerhouse garage jam? The latter, of course!

Plus, Magic Johnson counts Mika Miko and New Bloods as friends ... so they can't be all that bad (if you're feeling like judging a book by it's cover today). Check out a couple songs below. Face melting.

Magic Johnson - Querida

Magic Johnson - La Casa