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lack of inspired songs, the pedestrian guitar work, and the overall lack of dynamics in the overblown performances make Secret Machines another unfortunate stumble for a band that once held some real promise.
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Alternative PressSecret Machines is a bit of a misstep, failing keep their languid, explorative tracks from growing dull. [Dec 2008, p.148]
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It's a workmanlike and often wearisome ambition that proves the record's undoing, which leaves The Secret Machines V2.0 sounding less the stadium-psych messiahs and more like a trio of very naughty boys.
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On the new one, the drums still thunder and the space rock vibe is intact, but something is missing--and I’m not sure that something is Ben Curtis.
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Established fans will respond with delight to the staccato wall-of-sound guitars; new listeners may not necessarily show the desired “Ooh, they’re so hard!” response.
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Q MagazineThe old fervour remains intact. In truth, their third LP holds few surprises. [Feb 2009, p.116]
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['The Walls Are Starting To Crack'] is a refreshingly weird passage on a record that otherwise deviates little from the brawny but accessible psychedelia of the band's first two.
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There are no embarrassing stabs at pop crossovers, no bitter jabs at the record industry. Just tuneful and accomplished, if somewhat anachronistic and faceless, BIG MOODY ROCK.
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UncutSongs remain huge, sitting just the right side of overblown, ornate but never delicate, as if hewn from stainless steel. [Feb 2009, p.93]
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Under The RadarPerhaps due to the heavier sound, perhaps due to the departure of Ben Curtis, The Secret Machines doesn't pack much of a punch. [Fall 2008, p.78]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 5 out of 6
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Mixed: 0 out of 6
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Negative: 1 out of 6
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AGOct 15, 2008The best acid trip album in recent memory.
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jacekOct 15, 2008Very good, and much better than expected considering line up changes.
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reynr.Oct 14, 2008