Immaculate Machine’s last album, 2007’s Fables, was characterized by the interplay between singers Brooke Gallupe and Kathryn Calder. Backed by technicolour keyboards and choppy guitars, the pair split vocal duties more or less evenly, giving the impression that the band was a democracy.
Since then, however, Calder has been busy touring and recording with the New Pornographers, so it’s unsurprising that her involvement with Immaculate Machine has been reduced. On High on Jackson Hill, the group’s fourth full-length, Gallupe handles nearly all of the vocal duties himself; Calder sings lead on “You Destroyer,” and trades off verses with Gallupe on “And It Was,” but otherwise her role is that of backup singer. Even the keyboards are less prominent, buried beneath heavy psych-blues licks and mellow acoustic strumming.
Opening track “Don’t Burn the Bridge” pairs scuzzy guitar riffs with dense Summer of Love harmonies; with its start-stop structure, you half expect the band to break into “Time of the Season” at any moment. This classic rock pilfering is typical of High on Jackson Hill: the acoustic march “Sound the Alarms” is laced with wah-soaked riffs and guitar hero soloing, while “He’s a Biter” cribs its falsetto backing vocals directly from T. Rex’s “Mambo Sun.”
These retro rock tunes are interspersed with pared down acoustic tracks: the dreamy waltz “I Know It’s Not as Easy” recalls Cripple Crow-era Devendra Banhart, and the campfire singalong “Blurry Days” features only sparse accompaniment for its dense group vocals and acoustic plucking.
Although the band sounds comfortable playing any style, the album’s best song is the most straightforward of the bunch: “Only Love You for Your Car” is pure pop, its jaunty strumming punctuated with clattering snare hits. With catchy keyboard riffs (Calder’s only memorable instrumental contribution of the entire album) and a joyous chorus, it surpasses anything the group has ever written before. Based on songs like this, it’s clear that Gallupe is well-equipped to fulfill the role of sole frontman.
mp3: “Only Love You for Your Car”
High on Jackson Hill is out now via Mint.
Since then, however, Calder has been busy touring and recording with the New Pornographers, so it’s unsurprising that her involvement with Immaculate Machine has been reduced. On High on Jackson Hill, the group’s fourth full-length, Gallupe handles nearly all of the vocal duties himself; Calder sings lead on “You Destroyer,” and trades off verses with Gallupe on “And It Was,” but otherwise her role is that of backup singer. Even the keyboards are less prominent, buried beneath heavy psych-blues licks and mellow acoustic strumming.
Opening track “Don’t Burn the Bridge” pairs scuzzy guitar riffs with dense Summer of Love harmonies; with its start-stop structure, you half expect the band to break into “Time of the Season” at any moment. This classic rock pilfering is typical of High on Jackson Hill: the acoustic march “Sound the Alarms” is laced with wah-soaked riffs and guitar hero soloing, while “He’s a Biter” cribs its falsetto backing vocals directly from T. Rex’s “Mambo Sun.”
These retro rock tunes are interspersed with pared down acoustic tracks: the dreamy waltz “I Know It’s Not as Easy” recalls Cripple Crow-era Devendra Banhart, and the campfire singalong “Blurry Days” features only sparse accompaniment for its dense group vocals and acoustic plucking.
Although the band sounds comfortable playing any style, the album’s best song is the most straightforward of the bunch: “Only Love You for Your Car” is pure pop, its jaunty strumming punctuated with clattering snare hits. With catchy keyboard riffs (Calder’s only memorable instrumental contribution of the entire album) and a joyous chorus, it surpasses anything the group has ever written before. Based on songs like this, it’s clear that Gallupe is well-equipped to fulfill the role of sole frontman.
mp3: “Only Love You for Your Car”
High on Jackson Hill is out now via Mint.
