Like its predecessor, Magic and Medicine (originally issued in the summer of 2003) was coproduced by the Lightning Seeds’ Ian Broudie and invited comparisons with the some of the best British rock and pop recordings of the 1960s, perhaps most notably those by The Animals, with lead singer James Skelly’s vocals frequently compared to those of the great Eric Burdon.

The album topped the chart in the UK, spawning four top 30 hit singles - ‘Don't Think You're the First’, ‘Pass It On’, ‘Secret Kiss’ and ‘Bill McCai’ - and is currently just shy of platinum certification.

Once again, reviewers were effusive in their praise for the variety of sounds and songwriting on show, while acknowledging that, though it might have been slightly less dazzling than its predecessor, it was more consistent as the band reined in their influences and “and just stick with the program of creating rocking tunes” (Allmusic.com).