In an age of vigorously-marketed rag-trade clothes horses, Trinidad/New York/London collective The Magic Numbers are an anomaly; a word-of-mouth phenomenon whose affable live shows have been compared to happy clappy religious experiences and whose music - an unfashionable blend of soft country pop with Fifties and Sixties inflections - is evidently more important to them than the intercession of style gurus and hairdressers.

The "kids" are converted and the band's self-titled debut album The Magic Numbers may prove to be the most surprising success story of the year. Comprising two pairs of siblings, the Stodarts (singer and songwriter Romeo; the girth of a bear, the hair and beard of a friendly fairy-tale giant and the voice of a mouse; sister Michelle on bass, keyboards, vocals) and the Gannons (the equally hirsute Sean on drums; sister Angela on vocals, melodica and percussion) the familial ties shine through in the wholesome, harmonious nature of it all, from the skiffle of "Long Legs" and the upbeat Undertones-flavoured pop of "Love Me Like You" to the melting, dreamy teen frustration dialogues of "Love's a Game" and "I See You, You See Me". The Magic Numbers offers conclusive proof that maths isn't boring.

EPISODE 3: In The Attic meet The Magic Numbers




Rachel, Pete and the crew are over at the Oxegen Festival in Ireland and get the Magic Numbers in the van for a Jam and a catch up. The Magic Numbers have gone from cult following to one of the bands to watch in lightning speed.They were also the first ever artists to walk off that now sadly demised show the Top of The Pops. And of course there is the usual dollop of madness and other musical one offs that makes this the music show to watch.