DON'T LET THE BRIGHT-EYED AND BABY-FACED BAND FOOL YOU, the songs coming from this San Luis Obispo County group aren't bubblegum and sunny days. The band Dead Magic hits, and hits hard, with their debut album "True Medicine," an honest rumination over lives and illusions lost in the blistering cold of early adulthood. It isn't the life, music, or album that lead singer/songwriter and guitarist Noah Colton envisioned as a teenager hungry for chances to perform in SLO County and beyond, but it's where he finds himself now, cutting a harder tone and heartfelt lyricism in his music.

"Any established music scene, whether it's in the '90s grunge music in Seattle or the '80s punk scene in Minneapolis, music is always reflective of the culture of the people that are making it," Colton said. "Dead Magic is a reflection of where I'm at emotionally ... from what I read and what I witness on social media or the stuff that's going on in the world or what's going on in my social life. I know other people feel just as strongly as I do, they just don't express it in the way that I do.'

Lost innocence is at the heart of Dead Magic, a name that came to Colton after staring at Christmas lights one year and realizing the spark of excitement he once felt was no longer there. But Colton isn't simply lamenting lost innocence, but wrestling with serious demons that haunt so many young creatives.

The opening track "Samsara," for instance, was written in tribute to a friend lost to suicide. The closing track, "Passage," is dedicated to the life of his friend and longtime collaborator Andrew Rubin whose life was tragically cut short years ago. Colton shines in the vocals, bearing all as he sings: A teenage scheme you dreamt up long ago/But your fantasy didn't make it to the show/A friend's farewell found dead upon the floor/The resting place for always wanting more.

"A lot of these songs came out of the grieving process," he said. "Going through the loss, going through the anger. Losing my best friend really woke me up to life ... from my own little daydream I had been living.

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But don't let the name fool you either Dead Magic is alive. You can hear it in Colton's emotive lyrics and carefully composed harmony, but he's not alone. The band thrives as a unit, with the crisp yet gritty guitar work of Jake Scurria, full bass of Joe Johnsson, and driving drums of Connor Martin. "True Medicine" also welcomes guest collaborators like Greg Lou on horns and Amanda Mei on vocals, giving the album a variance and texture across the tracks.

Everyone involved, Colton explained, has helped him realize and express feelings once trapped inside. "Art is supposed to help and heal and soothe people, that's always been its purpose whether it's a form of escapism or a reality check. But I think the only way of getting to something of intrinsic value is being vulnerable." SLOLIFE