Secret Machines

Secret Machines | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 14, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tsm Recordings
• ASIN: B001FBSLZO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,246 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2008 self titled release by the alternative group, The Secret Machines, a three-piece US rock band. Originally from Dallas, Texas before moving to NYC, they describe their band as Space Rock. The original lineup consisted of two brothers, Brandon and Benjamin Curtis, and Josh Garza. In March 2007, Benjamin left the band, and was replaced by Phil Karnats. This is the follow-up to 2006's 'Ten Silver Drops'. The album was recorded in NYC and produced by the band with Brandon Mason. It contains eight tracks including 'Atomic Heels', 'Have I Run Out' and 'The Walls Are Starting To Crack'.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Secret Machines - Secret Machines 5/10, October 14, 2008

By 

Rudolph Klapper "www.klap4music.com" (Los Angeles / Orlando) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Secret Machines (Audio CD)

Losing one half of the brother duo that founded psychedelic space-rock outfit the Secret Machines didn't stop remaining brother Brandon Curtis and third founding member Josh Garza from continuing on with their Led Zeppelin-worshipping ways on their self-titled third record. Secret Machines, despite the exit of guitarist Benjamin Curtis, sounds much the same as their previous two records did, and while maintaining the polished production of Ten Silver Drops and the heavy, thudding sonic assault of their debut, it somehow loses a little of both in the end result.

The album starts off promisingly with the stomping "Atomic Heels," which has a scorching guitar riff to go along with one of their most accessible psych-pop products yet. "Last Believer, Drop Dead" is less catchy and more grounded in the barrage of spacey guitar that has characterized their sound, but while taking a while to develop, pays off with a ringing, wall-of-sound style solo at the end.

From there, however, things start to get a little same-y. "Haven I Run Out" is plodding and musically muddy, and its seven-and-a-half minute length rapidly becomes tiresome, especially with a pointless guitar freakout that goes nowhere. Vocalist Brandon Curtis sounds more bored than anything else on "Underneath The Concrete" despite the intriguing melody, and the song's ending is anticlimactic.

The following two songs up the ante a little bit, luckily breaking up the prog-rock monotony first with a catchy, energetic performance by Curtis on the multi-tracked wizardry of "Now You're Gone." and the decidedly odd "The Walls Are Starting To Crack" starts off like a slow jam space opera before surprising with a cosmic roar of guitar power halfway through a bizarre instrumental break that calls to mind both Alice and Wonderland and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Alas, the Secret Machines fall prey to the clichés of their genre on the last couple of songs, the first being an ill-advised psychedelic ballad that swallows itself in waves of reverb and the latter being a way-too-long (11+ minutes) jam no doubt meant to close the album in grand fashion. Instead, it falters along one too many instrumental paths and never reaches a truly satisfactory ending for a track of its size.

While the Secret Machines have dealt with their fair share of bad luck over the years (Benjamin quitting, poor commercial success vs. critical acclaim), the window of opportunity is rapidly closing for a band that has made few deviations to its sound over the years. Secret Machines is the kind of record that will continue to please the band's fans, but won't exactly be making any groundbreaking waves in the industry over the next few months.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very solid with many flavors, October 22, 2008

By 

Alan Riva "melodyman" (Valley Village CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Secret Machines (Audio CD)

I listened to this CD at least 6 times before writing this review. I'm glad I did. It takes a few listens to really digest. I don't think it's fair to compare a group's new CD to their earlier works (too much anyway). Many people tend to want to hear the past, slightly re-cycled and "upgraded."
I think this CD has it's own unique flavor so to speak, just as the two previous ones have (I'm not familiar with their first yet). That's why Secret Machines is one of my top 5 favorite current groups.

That being said, I think this CD has many shades, colors and moods. Not only from track to track, but within the tracks themselves. I will call it my favorite, but that may be because it's the newest to my ears. If you are a fan of Secret Machines, then I believe they deliver and progress to new territory on this one.

I purchased this CD on the first day of release and I can't (don't want to) pull if from the CD player! It really grows on you!!!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YEs, October 21, 2008

By 

Evangelos J. Orfanos "Xaphan" (Boston MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Secret Machines (Audio CD)

2 things about this record.
1. Atomic Heels and underneath the Concrete
2. Everything else
1. I like atomic heels and it's very cute. The shuddering rhythm, and simplistic approach to changes is nice. Nice.
Atomic Heels is the tether to ten silver drops, a good record that has grown. I mean when you first listen to ten silver drops you thought it was ok. After some time and a more critical look, it became better. I like ten silver drops fine, it's a great record. It's not the first album, which from the 9 minutes monster to the very sublime end was legendary. It was the call to something new. It wasn't a burning building, it was a burning village. underneath the concrete is a better, tight pop song to me.
2. Now the third record. The fire is waiting is an ode to the 70's. it's driving in a 72 Mustang and smoking a joint and finding out that god exists as you and a couple of friends are parked on the beach. It's so huge and earth crumbling that you cannot help but wonder if there is something else beyond you.
the walls, and now your gone is simply great song writing.
The Secret Machines are not tongue and cheek goofy like Stephen Malkmus, or as masturbation enthralled as Mars Volta, but it's the grandness of pink Floyd, it's the vastness of My Bloody Valentine, it's the knee quake of OK Computer.
This album is there best. It's mature, simple, full of sadness, dripping with joy and at times beautiful