No surprises
David Bowie kisses their ass but don’t let that put you off, SECRET MACHINES are the most beautiful space rock band you’ll hear all year, says Doug Johnstone.
ecrct Machines know that energy is a strange commodity. l’or the making ol their second album. the superb 'li'n Silver Drops. the trio hailed ottt ol' their adopted hometown of New York to a rctnote studio in the (‘atskill Mountains in an el‘l‘ort to locus themselyes on their masic. ‘We wanted to he some place where the energy was strictly the result ol‘ its and what we were creating: e\plains singer. bassist and keyboardist Brandon
(‘urtis. ‘ln New York ('ity there's a lot ol' sltlll
happening that l‘eeds into what you‘re doing. 'l'his studio was in a house on top ol a mountain. there wasn‘t anything else going on. it was really still and quiet. We just wanted to generate our own energy.‘
('ttrtis laughs a little sell—consciously at this slightly hippy talk. but it kind ol‘ makes sense to talk about Secret Machines. unearthly. driying space-rock shapes in such terms their music is all about energy. The threesome consisting of (‘urtis. his brother Benjamin and l'riend .losh (iar/a grew up in Dallas. 'l‘e\as. and that sense ol' immense open spaces inl'uses every whooshy note and stoned grooye ol their rnusic.
‘(iram Parsons called his music cosmic .»\mericana. and I kind of like that description for us.' says (‘urtis. ‘We're all influenced by ottr surroundings growing tip in Texas. there's so much openness. it‘s yery llat and Very big. and those things feel as it. they '\ e pertnealed our tnusic. We pay attention to space. to moyement and we create a sense ol‘ emptiness.~
This is no more in evidence than on the band‘s astonishing recent single. ‘Alone. Jealous and Stoned'. a hra/en al‘l'air consisting of ntnpteen
66 THE LIST lt‘» Lit‘ Mar .‘tklti
‘NO-ONE TOLD US WHAT WAS TRENDY - WE MIGHT HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY'
minutes ol throhhing. hypnotic fills and layers ol' building atmospherics and whispy melodies. The song is typical ol- their w ill‘ully independent streak.
A lcw years back. Secret Machines tlccitlctl to up sticks l‘rom 'I‘exas to New York. crash landing in the city with their eight—minute sonic workouts just when everyone was going apeshit tor three tninute garage rock in the wake of the Strokes.
‘You know. no one told us what was trendy or what was going on otherwise we might‘ye done things dil'l'erentlyf laughs (‘urtis. “But I don‘t think what we were doing was some kind ol‘ rehellion. we were just playing rock music the way we wanted to play it.‘
But popularity has come to them. As well as an eyer~e\panding fan base. the hand haye acquired a handliul ol celehrity enthusiasts. with a certain l)ayid Bowie at the head of the pack.
‘lle‘s been really kind to tisf says (‘urtis. ‘We‘w met a l‘ew times and talked. which is a little surreal. llis appreciation of our inusic. the fact that some of the space in l)a\'id Bowie‘s brain is occupied by Secret Machines‘ music. is pretty cool.‘
(‘ool indeed. Back in 'l’exas. before the hand had e\ er played a note. they sat down and mapped out a liye-year plan. It seems unlikely that hanging out with Bowie was included in that schedule.
‘Yeah. we’re in phase two now. the second liye-year plan.‘ says ('urtis. laughing. ‘lt's going well. though. no complaints.’ Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Tue 28 Mar; Garage, Glasgow, Wed 29 Mar.
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