Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin — better known as Magdalena Bay — released another pair of singles, “Unoriginal” and “Black-Eyed Susan Climb,” on Oct. 31. This marks the duo’s third pair of singles released this year, shared shortly after the release of “Human Happens” and “Paint Me A Picture” on Oct. 17. The duo has consistently dropped singles since the release of “Second Sleep” and “Star Eyes” on Sept. 26.
Rather than debut one of the new singles in concert prior to official release — like they’ve done with the previous pairs — the duo debuted “Unoriginal” at their Philadelphia silent disco set on Oct. 26.
Of the six singles released thus far, this pair is by far the most unique, maintaining Magdalena Bay’s signature psychedelic sound but subverting it to something much more playful. In particular, “Unoriginal” has a silly pop production that incorporates unexpected rock elements, whereas “Black-Eyed Susan Climb” has a country-twang that blends pop instrumentals with a largely stomp-and-holler production.
Given the distinct synth-pop sound of “Human Happens” and “Paint Me A Picture,” the strummed guitar and marimba that open “Unoriginal” are rather jarring. However, it establishes a unique identity that places acoustic instruments front and center, contradicting the chorus where Tenenbaum sings, “I already know / This one’s unoriginal.”
This contradiction illustrates how Tenenbaum’s insecurity that her music is “unoriginal” is one that is perceived only by herself, with the production explicitly framing the track as unique rather than unoriginal.
In fact, the rock elements incorporated in the chorus — specifically the distorted electric guitar and intensified drums — further distinguish this track from the rest of Magdalena Bay’s discography.
The verses then delve further into Tenenbaum’s insecurity.
“I turn to the crowd and grin like a bear while the world keeps burning,” Tenenbaum sings.
This lyric seems to play on the famous idiom “grin and bear it,” highlighting that Tenenbaum endures her insecurity rather than attempts to solve it. Then, the emphasis on the fact that “the world keeps burning” calls back to “Human Happens” focus on themes of war and conquest, drawing upon larger global issues to minimize her own insecurity and deem it insignificant.
Meanwhile, “Black-Eyed Susan Climb” explores the incessant desire to wallow in negative emotions rather than face them head on. Tenenbaum frames this idea with the opening lyrics.
“It’s supersized, it’s magnified and clawin’ at my leg,” Tenenbaum sings. “And when it climbs, I let it bite instead of kicking it down, dead.”
Just like she does in “Star Eyes,” Tenenbaum uses the imagery of a dog to symbolize depression. While its size and aggression reflect the severity with which the condition affects her, the decision to let the dog bite her reveals how she chooses to let these emotions overtake her rather than combat them.
This metaphorical representation of depression continues in the chorus, where Tenenbaum claims that the “devil” in her head tells her there’s, “No compromisin’ black-eyed Susan climb.” The black-eyed Susan is the name of a flower, which commonly symbolizes turning around bad habits and staying on a path of wellbeing. As such, the notion that there is no compromise illustrates that the journey to recover from mental illness is difficult, and there’s no way to simplify it or make it easier.
Tenenbaum then deems this black-eyed Susan climb as “agonizing,” claiming that it’s easier to, “Just let the good times ride.” This lyric portrays the journey to recovery as something more painful than just suffering the brunt of mental illness, referring to it as a “good time” to once again minimize the severity of her own problems. All the while, her cheerful, energetic tone and the upbeat production of the song further mask her pain as something playful and silly.
“Unoriginal” and “Black-Eyed Susan Climb” might not individually surpass songs like “Second Sleep,” but their combined versatility certainly makes them the best pair of singles Magdalena Bay has released thus far. Whether these singles happen to be a part of the duo’s next album or as standalone pieces of work, they are bound to tide fans over until their next release.
Travis Foley is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the fall 2025 quarter. He can be reached at tdfoley@uci.edu.
Edited by Corinna Chin
