Since forming Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and releasing their debut album Up From Below, front man Alex Ebert has been one of the most creative and productive individuals in music.
Between a rigorous touring schedule and a solo album from Ebert, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros have just finished their third full-length album and second in as many years. The new record captures the free-spirited ethos you might expect, so it's only fitting that the album is self-reflective in its title; Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.

The band continues to offer its listeners a joyous and celebratory musical landscape on the new album. It's right on track with the bands trajectory, but much of the appeal is reminiscent of their debut album. The band's breakthrough moment, "Home," leveraged the playful back and forth between Ebert and fellow vocalist Jane Castrinos. Without trying to copycat that success, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros hones in this relationship again. For the best example, search no further than the cheerful duet "Two," where Ebert and Castrinos testify that "if we sing together, love will sing along."

The uplifting moments aren't hard to miss on Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Love, again, is the centerpiece of this album. From the first single, opening track "Better Days" Ebert professes that "we might still know sorrow but we got better days," And the good natured vibes of songs like "Let's Get High" (on love) and the falsetto driven "Peace" further the bands culture of good will.

LISTEN to the album in its entirety before its release.

Released: July 23, 2013 on Vagrant Records
Review by Mike Vasilikos, July 18, 2013