First impressions can be deceptive, as we all know. My first thoughts on listening to the BAD MACHINES were of a bubble-gum pop band with a computer for a rhythm section - not a good combination in my book. Add in some "electronic" vocals at the beginning and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like this record.
Fortunately, the Bad Machines aren't that bad. Opener "Two Heads" is perhaps the weak link, because as the album progresses, its clear that these are mostly good songs and the band has a great voice in Michelle Margherita. "South Coast" immediately takesthings into more interesting territory, and I'm sure it's purposefully designed to make me feel old with lines like "you're the only record I own..". In fact this does sound like a "young" record, both in attitude and its refreshing simplicity. Perhaps if a real rhythm section had been recruited, they would have played out of time, but I'd still have liked to have heard what it sounded like!
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"Does It Really Happen" has nice slide guitar (real? who knows) - and at times the record reminds me of an electronic version of Heavenly. "Telling Lies" is probably the song that finally pulls you in, with its spoken-word sections particularly appealling.
As the album progresses further, you start to think about influences - the name Kraftwerk pops into my head, which may be deliberate with titles like "Schadenfreude" and "Autobahn", but its also the electronic noises and backing, which work better on the later, slower songs.
After the stale drudgery of some of the stuff I've heard lately, a
refreshing change at least.
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