Secret Machines

Secret Machines is inclined to a somewhat dark sound

Some people classify the music played by American band Secret Machines as alternative rock others as progressive rock and the members call themselves the performers of space rock. The band was formed by brothers Brandon and Benjamin Curtis together with drummer Josh Garza but last March Benjamin left the collective to be replaced by Phil Karnats. All the members originate from Dallas, Texas, and the guys currently live and work in New York. In the late 1990s they played in Captain Audio featuring another vocalist but their ways parted although the name Secret Machines was invented already then, the guys called it the musicians who joined them for album recording. Secret Machines’ debut work Now Here Is Nowhere has confirmed their fame of a band inclined to a somewhat dark sound although the dominating genre was still classic indie rock. This autumn Secret Machines releases its third eponymous album which concentrates in it all the best that is in the trio’s music, i.e. the power of indie rock, the mystery of psychodelia and the unearthly sounding of space.

Rather a harmonious picture on Secret Machines

Album Secret Machines consists of eight tracks different from each other both with attitude and length but still all together they form rather a harmonious picture. It opens with a mid tempo composition Atomic Heels refined with great guitar riffs worthy of the best rock bands but this is only the beginning for each following track demonstrates even more confident and impressive guitarists’ playing. A heavier song Last Believer, Drop Dead pleases with even more monumental instrumental background and quite a simple tune which cannot be said about the topical lyrics. An introspective composition Have I Run Out is definitely one of the best on the record, sullen, worrisome and absolutely unearthly whereas rather an unusual and complex piece Underneath The Concrete reminds of David Bowie’s works and conquers with excellent fiddles at the end. Ballad Now You're Gone can be by no means called light although we hear more melancholic and desperate Secret Machines on it while on The Walls Are Starting To Crack, a song all varied throughout, the guys go into psychedelic recalling simultaneously the likes of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Yet all these songs have been only preparing the listener for the final 11 minute epic The Fire Is Waiting on which there is a waterfall of riffs and drums crashing on you at the beginning and then something absolutely unimaginable starts, sounding dark and solemn at the same time.

Reasonable popularity

Speaking about the bands and artists who have influenced the creative work of Secret Machines we definitely should first mention Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie and The Who but this does not at all mean that the guys have simply taken a little from all of them and joined together. In fact this is quite an original collective offering its own idea of rock music therefore if there can be traced any influence there it by no means outstands against the others. It is known that playing in Captain Audio the musicians would experiment much more compared to their work as Secret Machines and now their music is much closer to mainstream. Yet this never prevents them from searching for new combinations of beats, guitars and keyboards and adopting new interesting audio effects with each new album. Due to such an unusual approach the trio is often invited for touring together by other collectives. In particular, the recent tour with Kings of Leon has been one of the most successful and they have also performed with Muse, Foo Fighters, Oasis and other bands. Besides Secret Machines is always among the first on the guest lists of various rock festivals and its third album witnesses once again that this popularity is completely justified.