Machine

"Please Yourself " (Promo single, 2007)

A memorable single from newcomers on the English Gronland label. It's satisfying to hear that that having grabbed a terrific name that the band don't just go and squander it on trivial nonsense. You could comfortably file this under 'Rock', but to do so would be a disservice to Machine. It was interesting to review this at the same time as a single from Johnny Panic as both labels cite influences that overlap around the point of American punk. But whereas Johnny Panic merely sound like wannabes, Machine convince from the off with their own talented take on the world.

Imagine The Velvet Underground collaborating with Blondie and yet, somehow, still sounding urgently British and you should have a pretty good impression of the qualities and quality of Machine and this cracking single. The title track comes in three flavours: regular and the Radio Edit, whilst the Whiteout Mix sees Trevor Loveys wresting for control with Machine themselves to a respectable bigger beat outcome. As a first sampling of a band, it doesn't get much tastier than this. 7/10

Rob Dyer (May, 2008)

Official website: http://www.myspace.com/machinerockmachine