A Sweeping Curve of Sound

It’s tough being a band in the “dark” (goth, darkwave, ethereal, industrial, deathrock, etc) underground in the USA. Bands can have a career spanning decades without a hint of mainstream success, playing the same clubs and venues as the newcomers, and upstaged by bands who appropriate the look (and often the label) with hardly a nod to the legacy of musical sounds they (sometimes unwittingly) reference. Is it any wonder some American “dark underground” musicians have decided to relocate to places like Germany (or sign exclusively with European labels)? The point being that there are a lot of very talented bands and musicians out there being ignored by both the mainstream and the indie hipster taste-makers because of stupid stereotypes and preconceived ideas. Which brings me to The Machine in The Garden.

The Machine in The Garden

This darkwave band’s 2005 album “Shadow Puppets” made my list of “best” albums for that year (#2 in fact), and I played it incessantly on my radio show and at the clubs I DJ-ed at (I even hosted them for a live gig in my town). It was the kind of album, that, if there were any justice, would have seen them quitting their day-jobs in order to tour and focus exclusively on their musical careers. Sadly, that didn’t happen, but it hasn’t stopped Summer Bowman and Roger Frace from continuing to make excellent music that inhabits, yet transcends, the “darkwave” genre. So I’m pleased to announce that the band has returned with a new release entitled “XV”. A look back at their 15-year run that includes remixes, outtakes, demos, a cover, and two new songs.

“The album is filled with the powerful songwriting of both Roger Fracé and Summer Bowman, each sharing duties as composers and vocalists. The songs span the vast styles the band is known for, layering rich textures of synthesizers, guitars and vocals into a variety of tracks ranging from ethereal to darkwave to goth rock.”

“XV” is no mere collection of filler that some bands resort to as a contract-fulfiller or stop-gap method while trying to create new material (in fact the band self-released the album), it instead reminds one of an anniversary party celebrated with a collection of close friends (perhaps not surprising since Summer and Roger are themselves a happy couple). The unreleased songs are chosen with care, including the beautifully moving “Six Days”, and the spacey, eerie “Nowhere”, while the remixes are respectful and highlight different aspects of the band while sharing the spotlight with some of their musical peers (Matrix, Ego Likeness, Pete Murray).

While my club-DJ compatriots will most likely give a lot of focus to the dance-mixes on this collection, I especially wanted to hear the two new tracks for hints of where the band may be going (musically speaking). While “Mental Wasteland” is a fine but somewhat uneven musical exercise in wing-stretching, the closing number “Otherworld” is a revelation. The songs does away with many of the normal guitar effects the band uses, and instead channels a sonic aesthetic that very much reminds me of “Faith”-era Cure (especially with that echoing drum machine) married to Summer’s soaring vocal work. Definitely a success, with the more classic approach highlighting the duo’s strong songwriting skills. Something I hope to hear more of on the band’s next full-length of new material (whenever that may be).

“XV” is very much worth your time, a snapshot of a veteran band confident in their skills taking a look back. Happy anniversary, I’m looking forward to what comes next.

PS - For more TMiTG-related sounds, check out the upcoming (but available for order now) album “Sub Rosa” from Mirabilis, a neo-classical project featuring Summer Bowman and Dru Allen (from This Ascension). A release you’ll be hearing more about from me in the near-ish future.

Downloads: Get a variety of Mp3 sound-clips from “XV”, here.

Links: The Machine in The Garden on MySpace