Smell the Magic

Smell the Magic is the second studio album by American rock band L7, released in 1990 by Sub Pop.^[10] Originally issued as a 12" EP containing only the first six songs, it was reissued on CD in July 1991, expanded to album length with three more tracks: "Packin' a Rod," "Just Like Me," and "American Society." The opening track "Shove" was released as the band's first single.

Smell the Magic
Studio album by L7
Released	August 1, 1990 (1990-08-01)[1]
Recorded	1989[citation needed]
Studio	Reciprocal (Seattle, Washington) Radio Tokyo (Venice, California) Paramount (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Grunge alternative metal
Length	29:36
Label	Sub Pop[2]
Producer	Jack Endino[3]
L7 chronology
L7 (1988) Smell the Magic (1990) Bricks Are Heavy (1992)
Singles from Smell the Magic
"Shove" Released: 1990

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Christgau's Consumer Guide	A[5]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	7/10[6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[7]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[8]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10[9]

Critical reception

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music called the album "a raucous, grunge-flavored blast."^[7] Trouser Press wrote that "L7 still brings the noise, but with a melodicism that isn’t as evident on the first album."^[11]

Rolling Stone placed Smell the Magic at #37 in their list of the 50 Greatest Grunge Albums, noting that "they were one of the few non-Seattle bands signed to Sub Pop," and the album "was an electric shock in a sea of grey." Likewise, the article mentions L7's formation out of Los Angeles' metal scene, then acting as a crossover act, and states conclusively that Smell the Magic is one of the "most widely cited as an inspiration by the next wave of punk and riot grrrl bands".^[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Shove"	Suzi Gardner, Donita Sparks	3:10
2.	"Fast and Frightening"	Gardner, Sparks	2:37
3.	"(Right On) Thru"	Jennifer Finch	3:13
4.	"Deathwish"	Sparks, Finch, Demetra Plakas	3:45
5.	"Till the Wheels Fall Off"	Gardner, Sparks	3:43
6.	"Broomstick"	Gardner, Sparks, Finch	3:49
7.	"Packin' a Rod"	Scott Morrow	2:08
8.	"Just Like Me"	Gardner, Sparks, Finch, Plakas, Dusty	3:32
9.	"American Society (Eddie and the Subtitles cover)"	Eddie Joseph, Mike Patton	3:53
Total length:			29:36

Personnel

L7

• Donita Sparks – guitar, vocals, lead vocals on tracks 2,4,5,7,9
• Suzi Gardner – guitar, lead vocals on tracks 1,5,6,9
• Jennifer Finch – bass guitar, lead vocals on tracks 3,8,9
• Demetra Plakas – drums

Guest

• Mike Patton – guest vocals

Production

• Jack Endino – producer
• Michael James – engineer
• Daniel Rey – engineer
• Randall Martin – logo
• Charles Peterson – photography
• Howard Rosenberg – photography
• Jeff Price – art director