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Secret MachinesNow Here Is Nowhere Warners Young rock bands are like children in that they naturally copy their parents. In that way the Secret Machines are no different to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, U2 and a myriad of other greats. While identity sadly seems to be less of an imperative in music nowadays, I think rock still lives on a knife-edge between pastiche and invention. Frankly, The Secret Machines are yet to understand this delicate balance. From the very first booming John Bonham-esque drum figure on First Wave Intact it is all too easy to see individuality is not one this band's strengths. James, Placebo and The Flaming Lips all cast a great shadow over each of their songs. In fact the jaunty relentlessness of Nowhere Again is an uncanny musical doppelganger to The Flaming Lips/Chemical Brothers collaboration The Golden Path; for them to reprise the song later on only highlights the similarity. The Road Leads Where It's Led is pure James and makes me wish that eclectic Manchester collective hadn't imploded. The fragile but balletic vocals of singer/bassist Ben Curtis on The Leaves Are Gone sound beautiful but Mercury Rev have been there before. Often The Secret Machines turn to psychedelia and Pink Floyd, specifically with the introduction of You Are Chains sounding just like an out-take from 'The Wall'. Although it is pretty easy to be cynical about all the train-spotting on 'Now Here Is Nowhere,' it is still a strangely satisfying album in its own right. These boys can write a tune and have a savvy sense of what can be wrung out of a studio. There is enough quality on show to drag you in to enjoy its numerous positives. As it stands 'Now Here Is Nowhere' shows a great deal of potential; Secret Machines just need to stop looking around to see what everybody else is doing. I hope this talented Texan trio stick together long enough to really stamp out their own personality.  |
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