Third Man Records is releasing Up, the long-lost debut album from the ’80s Manchester band Magic Roundabout. Formed in 1986, Magic Roundabout played shows with the Pastels, the Blue Aeroplanes, Spacemen 3, Loop, My Bloody Valentine, and Inspiral Carpets, and rumor has it that Noel Gallagher was a roadie for their last show. They only actually ever released one song, “She’s A Waterfall,” on Pulp guitarist Mark Webber’s Oozing Through The Ozone Layer cassette compilation — and by the end of the ’80s, they were no more. But after being unearthed by Pale Saints’ Ian Masters and remastered by His Name Is Alive’s Warren Defever, their 1987 recordings are finally seeing the light of day. As Masters says:

Magic Roundabout: The mysterious missing link between the Velvet Underground and pragVEC. How did the music industry miss these talented teenagers? They were fucking idiots, that’s how. From super-catchy pop songs to ambitious 20-minute improvisations, the band had everything but a recording deal. Ambitious live performances where friends were satisfied with spitting out fluff often forgotten in 2 and a half minutes. Finally, the tape that was thought to have been lost was discovered during a search for a lost newborn
in Manchester’s slums, is now being remastered and presented for everyone to hear. You lucky lucky mofos…

Third Man Records’ Dave Buick adds:

I walk in to the studio, Warren [Defever] is working away. Feedback, hypnotizing bass line, perfect female vocal harmonies and a drummer so minimal you just know they are standing coming out of the speakers. All I could see was stripes and paisleys. I became instantly obsessed with tracking down this mystery band’s complete discography. “They don’t have a discography you say?” Just like that my obsession had become dangerous and unhealthy.

Listen to lead single “She’s A Waterfall” below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Carol In Your Eyes”
02 “Cast Your Sadness Away”
03 “She’s A Waterfall”
04 “Sneaky Feelin'”
05 “Up”
06 “Alice’s Paper Plane”

Up is out 9/24 via Third Man Records. Pre-order it here.