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Rain Machine is an introspective album that rings more of Malone's earlier influences than of boundary pushing inventiveness--but that's not a bad thing.
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Rain Machine doesn’t have TVOTR’s Berlin Wall of Sound might, but it’s still an accomplished work.
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Rain Machine gives Malone an appealingly mellow yet resolutely independent identity for his solo music; even if it may not be for fans of his other projects' more accessible material, it's nice to hear a full album of what he can do on his own.
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There are moments when the album loses its focus and blurs into extended jamming that doesn’t go anywhere particularly exciting, although Malone mostly manages to keep those tendencies in check.
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FilterThere's an ardent emotionlism here that would make Otis Redding seem calm in comparison. [Fall 2009, p.106]
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Half of it’s as good as anything TVOTR have ever done.
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Q MagazineRather like Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante's solo work, Malone pootles around the margins of commerciality, nodding to the avant mischief of Buthole Surfers and engaging folksy clatter of Devandra Banhart, while on Driftwood Heart the vocals are almost oepratic. [Dec 2009, p. 120]
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MojoBut those with the gumption to take this record on will certainly come out of it knowing they've listened to something, and you can't fault Malone for putting himself out there. [Dec 2009, p. 94]
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UncutThe only thing lacking is a sense of rhythmic discipline, without which these overlong - and occasionally overwrought - songs can tend towards the self-indulgent. [Jan 2010, p. 123]
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Rain Machine feels like a greater disappointment when you realize that Malone has had at least a decade to produce enough quality songs to fill an album.
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Under The RadarIt's an uneven album, often too earnest to be clever, which will leave listeners missing the strength and humor of his other work. [Fall 2009, p.65]