B! Machines latest is the most polished, and may be the best
Robert Sloan | UK | 04/27/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have only discovered B! Machine about 6 months ago, and already I am a big fan and have had to buy all previous albums. So I eagerly anticipated this, B! Machine's (band pseudonym for Nate Nicoll) latest CD release, and I was not dissapointed. Nate Nicoll is a very intelligent and emotional song writer, and manages to envelope you in the emotions of the songs, both with his lyrics and synth music as well as his deep brooding vocals. Definitely fans of 80s bands like Japan/David Sylvian/Depeche Mode will like B! Machine, but I would strongly say that if you just love music you will like B! Machine.
There is not one bad song on this CD (and there are 14 of them), and as you read my track reviews below, you'll see there are so many good tracks it is hard to pick a favourite.
1) Angels - A moving song, and a great start to the CD. Also released as a single - which you should check out.
2) Lightfall - Another moving song, about time with a love, probably the last time for a while.
3) Ode - Great synths in this song, which alone bring out the emotions portrayed, add the deep brooding vocals.
4) ¬Girlfriend - One of my favourites, I love the synths in this song, very varied but highly emotional. About the end of a relationship.
5) Muse - An emotional song, again with varied emotional synths and deep brooding vocals, about love from afar.
6) Empty - Another one of my favourites. Very emotional synths and vocals.
7) This Dark Day - A bit more uptempo, and one of my favourite tracks on the CD. Still a song about powerful love and missing someone far away, but I love the melody, variation in synths and the welcome beat.
8) Cafe - A nice catchy tune, and playful beat. Great synths and more upbeat singing make this a nice little song, another favourite of mine.
9) Clandesdine - Another good song, not one of my favourites so a little long at 10.30 minutes.
10) Age - The first 2 verses are sang acapella, and show what a good voice Nate has. The music then starts and is superb, again great melody and synths.
11) Everclose - Great varied synths, again the music alone makes me almost cry with the emotions it conjures up. Nice tune and vocals. Another favourite on this CD.
12) Forget - A bit more uptempo, again lush synth sounds and melody and great vocals. Yes you've guessed it another of my favourites on the CD (there is just so many).
13) Lost - A bit more mellow and brooding, about the loss of a loved one.
14) An Airport at Noon - Uptempo again to finish the CD off. Again a great song, with excellent synths. Amazing how Nate's Synth programming makes the music almost sing out to you, and a great contrast to Nate's deep vocals.
"
Time to move foreward
Analog | Planet Earth | 01/06/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I enjoyed Hybrid and Infinity Plus tremendously, but after three albums of nearly the same damn song re-written a hundred times, it is time to move foreward a little. Do something different. Don't get me wrong, I love B! Machine's sound, but it's just getting a little stagnant now. The good part of this album is that it does sound a lot like the previous three albums--deep, melancholy drum and bass kind of synth rock with interesting vocals reminiscent of Depeche Mode's more thought provoking offerings. Personally I liked the synth sounds more on Infinity than on here, and the lyrics are a little too lovey dovey on Evening Bell. I think the best piece of advice I could ever give to Nate Nicoll would be to include a bit more melody in each song, as to give identity. It took me a long time to differentiate between songs, and I think a lot of people would be turned off by the tediousness of 15 songs that all kinda sound the same. I would suggest Hybrid if you're new to B! Machine, it is his best work."
Definitely impressive
GreedPawn | 03/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"New to B! Machine? I recommend you start here. The Evening Bell is simply fantastic. Drift in and out of the various shades of grey in this dark-sided, infectious synthpop. I once read a review that confessed once a listener is first drawn into the B! universe, they never come out. I am now caught in the undertow and believe you will be, too.
Previous fan? You know the sensations you feel when enveloped in the best songs from B! Machine... well, climb back under the blanket, because this cd will be wrapped around your ears for a long, long time."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1