SECRET MACHINES

The Secret Machines is a band that I only know by this album. I got introduced to their music a few years ago by ways of a very haunting track called "I never thought to ask" on a Sampler CD in the German Rock Magazine Eclipsed. This album also was featured as the "Album of the Month" in this issue of Eclipsed. I never thought to ask has that multi-layered, spacey, floating atmospheric sound one finds sometimes in the productions of Daniel Lanois (U2, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, etc). The track can be described as "Daniel Lanois Sound XXL", and me as a big fan of that certain "Lanois sound" was immediately convinced to get this album.

The rest of the album has a similar atmosphere although a bit more toned down in terms of effects. The songs are more straight forward and catchy but maintain a sound and feeling which sets them apart from most mainstream music. Apart from the outstanding I never thought to ask, the last track, The fire is waiting, will probably convince most prog fans the most. An eleven long musical journey that rolls out of speakers like dark thunder clouds approaching.

This is an album which shines in terms of its sound and atmosphere. Musical virtuosity is not the focus here. The vocals of Brandon Curtis fit the music very well. He has an extremely pleasant warm sounding voice which contrasts the rather dark sounding music. Tracks 1 to 6 all deserve 4 starts. Tracks 7 and 8 are 5 Star candidates.