Sometimes you come across songs and albums that contain such complexities and intricacies you are required to sit back and contemplate. You need to mull them over in your mind before coming to any conclusions. ‘Music to stroke your chin to’ it is occasionally called.
Alternatively, there is music that just comes at you and sonically kicks your arse. Down lads Tied to Machines and their eponymous debut EP are undoubtedly the latter. This three-track EP comes out all alt-punk guns blazing and doesn’t stop firing until the last beat of the third track just over 9 minutes later.
Their song titles nod to popular culture – the opener is called ‘Otamendi’ (who I believe is an Argentine footballer?), while ‘No Huggin’, No Learning’’ was Seinfeld’s mission statement – without bearing much relation to the tracks themselves. These witty titles mirror northern neighbours …And So I Watch You From Afar.
Each track has a similar structure. There is a full-on aural onslaught for the first half before a slight break – leaving listeners a moment to catch their breath – before the barrage is relaunched for the ending. These gaps add a level of variety to the mix as well as making the music all the more accessible to the listener.
What sets Tied to Machines above many other similarly heavy bands is that, while embracing heavy drums and guitars, they don’t do so at the cost of a tune or a hook, something again similar to ASIWYFA. This is most aptly epitomised by the almost sing-along moment in EP closer ‘Sociopath’. The lyrics are shouted but left sufficiently short of a scream to remain palatable.
This ‘heavy with hooks’ style works very well over the very limited running time. Let’s hope they can keep it up for a more prolonged effort next time.