The four-disc collection contains 113 Beau Brummels recordings, including their major and minor hits—"Laugh, Laugh", "Just a Little", "You Tell Me Why", "One Too Many Mornings"—[1]
as well as 42 previously unissued tracks.[2]
The set is chronologically sequenced,[2] from 1964 demos at the beginning of the first disc, to 1968 songs at the end of the fourth disc.[1] About half of each of the band's studio albums are included,[1] with some songs from Triangle not present and most of Bradley's Barn missing.[2] No material is included from the band's post-1960s reunions.[2]
Previously unreleased songs include "People Are Cruel", a 1964 track written by Ron Elliott prior to the group's signing to Autumn Records.[2] Disc three features several songs composed by Sal Valentino, including solo Valentino demos such as "Only Dreaming Now" and a version of "Magic Hollow".[2] Disc four contains outtakes, demos, and alternate versions of songs released from 1967 to 1968.[2]
The set is supplemented by a 48-page booklet containing photos, song information, and interview quotes with bandmembers.[2]
Richie Unterberger of Allmusic called Magic Hollow "an excellent overview of the career of one of the finest and most underrated American bands". He complimented the balance between familiar songs and unreleased material, noting that the latter "are both plentiful and usually of surprisingly high quality".[2] Paul E. Comeau of No Depression magazine remarked that the set "substantiates the notion that music historians should have been paying more attention to the Beau Brummels’ legacy".[1] Comeau praised "Valentino’s rich and distinctive voice, Elliott’s songwriting and musical talent, and the other three members’ strong rhythm and multi-part harmonies".[1] Ken Tucker of National Public Radio's Fresh Air program recommended the collection "for the idiosyncratic take on harmony and British Invasion pop that these bright West Coast lads were able to produce early in their career".[3]
