Tracks 11, 13, 15 and 16 do not appear on the original release of MAGIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC. "Give It A Try" and "Angeligue" originally appeared on the British version of the LP. "Storm In A Teacup" was originally issued as part of promotional sampler for Wall's Ice Cream.
Originally released in 1970, MAGIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC was Badfinger's debut album for The Beatles' Apple Records label. (It is issued now as a Badfinger album, though the disc is actually a compilation of songs recorded between 1968 and 1969 when the band was still known as The Iveys.) It features little of the gutsy power pop that Badfinger would perfect on their later albums, but MAGIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC is nevertheless an exquisite late-60s pop album that captures the group exploring many styles.
The album's best-known track is "Come And Get It," an insidiously catchy pop hit that was written and produced by Paul McCartney. Other highlights include the haunting, Simon and Garfunkel-inspired "Carry On Till Tomorrow" and "Maybe Tomorrow," a soaring big-beat ballad that was a minor hit for The Iveys in 1968. The rest of the album covers everything from the Little Richard-inspired rave-up "Rock Of All Ages" to melodic psych-pop gems like "Beautiful And Blue." With the inclusion of three rare tracks that were not on the original American album, the re-issued version is a treasure: proving MAGIC a wonderful, underrated album with a good deal to offer.
