Smell the Magic

L7 | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 9, 1991)
• Original Release Date: July 8, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sub Pop
• ASIN: B0000035EM
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,979 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #17 in Music > Alternative Rock > Hardcore & Punk > Riot Grrl
  • #64 in Music > Indie Music > Alternative Rock > Rock

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic, May 11, 2004

By 

Erica Anderson (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Smell the Magic (Audio CD)

L7 defintely was my favorite band in the early/mid' 90s. Their music was loud, heavy yet catchy. I discovered L7 when I was flipping through the issue of Rolling Stone that had Nirvana on the cover, Kurt Cobain had a t-shirt that said "corporate magazines sucks". In the issue, there were a bunch of up and coming artists/bands listed and one of them was L7. I was immediately intrigued and bought their major label debut album "Bricks Are Heavy". I loved that album right away and I eventually bought the band's other two albums, their self-titled album and "Smell the Magic". "Smell the Magic" is my favorite of the two independently released albums. The songs were just as catchy as "Pretend We're Dead" and "Everglade". I particularly love "Fast and Frightening", "Deathwish", and "'Til the Wheels Fall Off". "Smell the Magic" is just as good as "Bricks Are Heavy". I miss the '90s when music was still about music and less about bling bling and materialistic garbage that I see on MTV. There was something pure and honest that came out of bands like L7 and Social Distortion. They weren't all about image.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars L7, this is IT, January 3, 2003

By 

D. Camden "liv" (south east england) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Smell the Magic (Audio CD)

All L7 ever wanted was to rock your world, they did it, ... They do Rock. Their music is way above the more blatent Roit Grrrl approach. L7 were just pissed with men and stuff like that, and make great music from it.
They are one of my favourite groups of all time, theres something thats perhaps artistic about not being as famous as you should be, something that makes then special and unique and of course the fact that they COMPLETELY ROCK does come into it.

Smell the Magic includes one of L7s earliest songs "Shove" its a great song and its L7 in one - an attack on how women are treated in the mosh pit when all the want to do is jump around and shove. Packin a rod, Fast and Frightening, Till the wheels fall off - Loud and fast punkrock.
I like this whole album, its one of those records that is just great ALL THE TIME, not just in the first few months youe had it. and yes, 11 years later it is still as good as it was in 91, maybe even better, who knows, you'll have to buy it won't you.

My favourite L7 song has to be American Society, I just like it, it rocks, its loud and hard. great riffs. There is alot of pure aggression in L7s music, and STM is no exception, its harder than the other records and probably my personal favourite of them all.
L7 got on with punk rocknroll and did a great job. If this is the first L7 record youre buying, i would recommend you get Bricks are Heavy, if not then STM is a MUSTHAVERIGHTNOW addition to your collection. By the way L7 are NOT HOLE (common mistake) nor do they sound alot like them (except early Hole) L7 do not compare with the other 90's bands they are THE GREATEST (so are the Babes in Toyland) ...

If, when youve bought this you like it, get Are You Man Enough by Betty Blowtorch, they are amazing, theyre L7 and AC/DC, guns n roses and rocknroll in one. One cd you wont every regret buying.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their best by far, January 23, 2002

By 

Sarah Jane (Glasgow, U.K.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smell the Magic (Audio CD)

Bricks are Heavy was the album that brought L7 to America's attention, and later albums enhanced their reputation as a talented grrrl band but (much as i love most of their stuff, with the exception of perhaps their latest album and "Pretend We're Dead") this is far better than anything else they've done; grungier, punkier, and a lot more metal... L7 specialise in raw aggression and this showcases it best, with songs like "Packin a Rod," "Shove" and "Til The Wheels Fall Off" providing great road trip music and killer guitar licks. Slower (yet far from slow) tracks like "Broomstick" and "Right on Thru" have a great sludgy, filthy feel to them, while "Fast and Frightening" stands as a classic grrrl anthem. "American Society" shows a more sensitive side to L7 and "Just Like Me" (my personal favourite) mentions, pays respect to and questions bands such as Guns N Roses, Faster Pussycat and Vixen.
Bands like Hole and Bikini Kill, although on some occasions inspiring, can often have the opposite effect, with the girls in the band playing simple instrumental parts, while the only male in the band is the lead guitarist. L7 don't whine about how hard it is to be female, they just get on with playing great punk-metal and (along with Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Betty Blowtorch etc) prove that you don't have to be a guy to play REAL rocknroll.