Bartees Strange has been one of the most significant indie artists to break out in the post-pandemic era. He debuted with SAY GOODBYE TO PRETTY BOY, an album length collection of The National songs released in March 2020, on the cusp of the pandemic. Later that year came his first album MUSTANG which was named to endless year end best lists including those from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, and NPR Music. He quickly signed to 4AD and his debut for the label FARM TO TABLE turned him into a club headliner and an arena-sized opening act with genre-defining artists such as The National, boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Barnett. Bartees’ story is a fairy tale of independent community and a triumph of efforts to diversify what the word “indie rock” even means, reclaiming it for Black artists. The MAGIC BOY LP is a fine way to celebrate Bartees Strange’s explosive trajectory and his run of dates opening for The National at arenas across Europe in autumn 2023.