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The Secret Machines - Now Here Is Nowhere

Rating

RIYL

Pink Floyd
Flickerstick
Interpol
Flaming Lips

Label

Warner Bros.

Tracklist

1. First Wave Intact
2. Sad and Lonely
3. The Leaves Are Gone
4. Nowhere Again
5. The Road Leads Where It's Led
6. Pharaoh's Daughter
7. You Are Chains
8. Light's On
9. Now Here Is Nowhere

Everyone has had deja vu experiences before...You know you have been there, done that, seen it before, but you just don't know where, how or what. Those are puzzling experiences, but usually pretty cool. I believe you can have similar musical experiences. There are some bands that sound familiar, you know that you've heard it before, but you have no idea where, when or how. The Secret Machines are just like that.

The Secret Machines run the gammit of musical influences, sounds and styles. They walk that thin line between pop, rock, psychodelia and new wave. Songs like "Sad and Lonely" and "Nowhere Again" have hit written all over them. They encompass everything that I believe should be in a single-melody wrapped up in edginess. It has to be simple and catchy enough to be enjoyable but not to the point where it gets boring or predictable. On several songs The Secret Machines have it down. The problem is that these sonically moving and interesting songs tend to get lost in the psychodelic, cutsie noise. Songs like "First Wave Intact" and "Now Here is Nowhere" are 9 minute art songs that aren't fun to figure out, but rather wear on you. I was wondering throughout when the melody was going to kick in. Other songs just seem to be aimlessly wandering.

I don't want to give the impression that this is a bad album...Its way better than mediocre even, but at times The Secret Machines tend to get sidetracked. They know to write great songs when they put their minds to it, and the Pink Floyd inspired "Pharoah's Daughter" is proof of that, but when the ADHD kicks in, the results are lackluster at best.

JohnnyL

Author

JohnnyL

Last updated: 09/29/2009 09:02PM