ALBUM REVIEW: Cafe Magrana – Michael’s Boat Tour

Bottom Dog Records

Released: 20.10.23

Durham’s Cafe Magrana release a high-ish concept album in glorious lo-fi bedroom recorded pyjamas, traversing an imaginary seascape of emotional knots notched and unravelled. It has all the highs and lows of any decent nautical adventure played out amongst the sheets of any love lorn mind. I mean, I could keep this going but that bedroom won’t tidy itself.

It is low-tech, self-recorded and the vocals could be a little higher in the mix, but nothing takes away from the superbly indulgent song-smithing of these local kids. Catchy, masterful layers that I’d love to explore more, and I can see that live is the way to hear them spread their home-spun triumph, cracking stuff!