Forum Album Club #2 - Now Here Is Nowhere by the Secret Machines

[Crispy]

I'm not much of an album reviewer, so bear with me -- but we're here to discuss as we listen, right? Anyway, here are a few initial thoughts before the listening later this evening (9:30 Eastern Time).
 
Now Here Is Nowhere is a record that might not immediately catch on with a lot of people, especially with that (extremely) noisy and violent opener. But that tune hooked me, and after probably my third listen, the flow of the entire album hit me like a ton of bricks. As some of you are aware (mjk), it is easily my favorite not-MMJ record of the last ten years, and maybe of the last 38 years -- those familiar with their reported influences might guess where I'm going with this.

I can't remember how I got introduced to the Secret Machines or this record, but I do remember reading things like "Krautrock" (not knowing what that meant) and "Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin-esque" -- and yeah, those comparisons caught my eye and are valid. To my ears this is the most Dark Side-type album of the new millennium, so much so that the tracks all meld together so that the album becomes a single piece, and I can neither pick out a favorite nor a least-liked.

Likely activity: When I am having one of THOSE nights when records get played loudly on the turntable and I have a few Manhattans (or something else) in me, there is nothing like spinning this one at HIGH volume. If you have a turntable and don't have this on vinyl, this must be resolved. Good luck, though. I have two copies, one of which is being saved for when the first one becomes unplayable, and I'll snatch up the next one that appears on GEMM too. (EDIT: now that I look a little harder, there are lots of copies out there)
 
Frequent activity: When the shit hits the fan at work and I find myself having to focus and solve problems quickly-- this is what I listen to, and shit gets fixed.

Depressing: By the time I got into this one, Ten Silver Drops had already been released, and the brothers Curtis were going their separate ways and not playing many shows. The one chance I had to see the original three here in Oklahoma, they ended up cancelling and taking a more lucrative gig in Austin (something called the ACL Festival). So fuck 'em! =)

[Penny Lane]

I flippin LOOOOOOVE that album!
(Love Ten Silver Drops, too, but not as much)

[MarkW]

Good choice, Crispy.  It's a great album, with some killer tunes.  I wish I could stay up late enough for the listening party, but the time difference won't allow it.  I caught a festival set of theirs in 2006 - they really bring it live.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

Haven't listened to this album in a long time. Good stuff though!

[mjk73]

In case I pass out later from just being an old fart now. I'm very much an album guy. I listen for the whole experience, not the "hits" and skip the rest. This is a great album in that you need to listen front to back to get the full effect. This is a very spaced out trippy album. There is a certain level of mystical imagery they are trying to great and I feel they more then succeed. This would be a great album to bake and screw too errr or maybe it's just me. I haven't enjoyed things from da earf in many many years so I'm trying to remember what that was like. OK, maybe it's just a get album to throw on for background music to bone to. One thing is clear, someone is gonna get humped.

First Wave Intact does what it intends to, hits you with a sonic blast wave. Makes you hard or knocks you out. Sad And Lonely is a great follow up. I love the phrase "did you get your heart ache and your head rush confused." Many o times yes....They bring it down for one of the lusher tracks in Leaves are Gone which is , then fucking destroys my soul with Nowhere Again. Easily the best track on the LP and the best track they ever recorded IMO. The Road Leads To Where It Leads is fantastic. I mean come on, "Blowing all the other kids away, with all your chaaaaarm." Fuck. Pharaoh's Daughter is another slower lush track. You Are Chains is another great chill out lush track. Light's On is a great later track rocker to pick up the pace after a few slower songs. Now Here is Nowhere is a great closer. Blends a couple of the tracks on the album into a spaced out, eyes shut, head nodding and weaving around, dance like your stoned song. It really is epic. And that's when the babies are made.

[mjk73]

skeet

[Crispy]

Great review, skeeter, and I didn't even go there!  ;D

Who's ready to drop the needle on this bitch?

[wolof7]

Crispy thanks for this pick I cannot believe how much these guys rocked....

My initials thoughts when First Wave kicked in is how hard the drums hit...this band pulls you right into their music, they force it onto you...but despite the grunginess of some it, the production is probably the most pristine I've heard !!

Seriously this album rocks....

Also think I was drawn to this band from the line ""did you get your heart ache and your head rush confused."  good call mjk

[mjk73]

I actually threw it on at work today in honor of this and when I got home and worked out after dinner. And yeah, I usually go there. Things are funner in the gutter.

[Crispy]

I LOVE the quiet piano (?) tone that opens it up, and then CRASH

Pissing off the neighbors time!

[sweatboard]

I tried but, I'm not really digging this album as a whole.  I enjoy First Wave Down.  The rhythm section is really good. 

[ManNamedTruth]

If I wanted to hear The Flaming Lips I'd put on The Flaming Lips.  ;)
Just kidding, about to put it on again, I was kinda tired on my first listen.

[sweatboard]

Leaves Are Gone

The start of this song is the image of "the leaves are gone, there's ice on the river" and the music plays an instrumental part in making you believe this to be true (I love it whenever music plays an instrumental part in music) "Hold my hand to your heart and breathe"  nice imagery. 

[Crispy]

If I wanted to hear The Flaming Lips I'd put on The Flaming Lips.  ;)
Just kidding, about to put it on again, I was kinda tired on my first listen.

I get that, but the Secret Machines are like The Flaming Lips if they were all Steven Drozd. Which they are, kind of.

These guys play the HELL out of their instruments.

[wolof7]

What do we feel about Brandon's vocals?...to me it was always such a backpocket weapon of this band....I always found it mismatched the music in a way that works and totally delivers...if that makes sense

[sweatboard]

This band remindes me of a bunch of other bands, but not really in a good way.  I'm not crazy about the vocals. 

How many singers are on this record?

[sweatboard]

Lights On

New Singer?  Not sure I get this one. Joy Division probably wants you to not write this song. 

[Crispy]

What do we feel about Brandon's vocals?...to me it was always such a backpocket weapon of this band....I always found it mismatched the music in a way that works and totally delivers...if that makes sense

I do love Brandon's vocal, it seems out of place at first, but ends up working perfectly.

Sweat, I think there's just Brandon on lead and Benjamin backing vocal.

[wolof7]

On Leaves are Gone right now, never made the flaming lips connection before, always just went along with the floyd/zep comparisons, hearing it on this track....

....I can't imagine this as being a first album....it's balls to the walls.....if this was their only album they'd be a huuuuuuuge in like 10 yrs.

.....this album makes me want to explore space with marijuana

[Crispy]

They did have an EP a couple years earlier, and it's interesting, but it's not close to this.

It's one of the few records that makes me feel like I did as a teenager in my basement bedroom, "exploring space with marijuana"  ;D