For anyone who is at the very least vaguely interested in The New Pornographers and their indie-rock Vancouver sound, Immaculate Machine are a must. If you like ice cream, you’re going to like more ice cream. It’s sweet and delicious, and somehow you don’t ever get bored with it.

Some background: besides the overall sound being similar (strings paired with pop beats, male/female melodies and harmonies), the lead female singer is Kathryn Calder, aka Neko Case’s understudy in The New Pornographers while she’s away on tour, as well as Carl Newman’s (The New Pornographer’s frontman) niece. Since 2005’s Twin Cinema, Calder has also been considered an official member of that band.

So the question now is whether Immaculate Machine have something more to offer than what their big brother has already done and exceeded at. On their latest, Fables, the answer is wholeheartedly “yes.” Opener “Jarhand” starts off with a strong and fast beat, crystal clear vocals by Calder, and even back-ups by Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) and The Cribs, which adds the final straw to make this just a huge song. “Confessor” is another good example, with heavy guitar lines over a blanket of percussion while Calder and Luke Kozlowski’s vocals cut through on top in harmony.

However, it’s the tracks that stray ever so slightly from the Vancouver formula that are the most impressive. “Northeastern Wind” is an excellent example. It begins very slowly with Calder’s voice quiet and serene, singing, “The streets are abandoned / they’ve closed up the stores / cuz nobody lives downtown anymore…” The picture is painted for the listener incredibly well. And then, after about two minutes, a distorted guitar enters, adding even more emotion to the song. Another example of this is “Blinding Light,” which uses an echoing synthesizer with Calder’s voice on the verge of a whisper. It’s these little differences that the band use to distinguish themselves and show off their own personality.

My only criticism of the band (and I hate to be so picky) is that, often, Kozlowski will sing just a tad higher than his range permits. With attune ears, you can hear the strain in his voice at times. On “Small Talk,” he sings most of the song on his own, so there’s no reason that it couldn’t have been written just a half-step lower. Without this adjustment, the song has a flat quality to it. A good example of how Kozlowski does use his voice in a better range (where it sounds quite nice) is “Dear Confessor.” Calder sings the upper melody and he sings the lower harmony.

Overall, Fables is a gem. Although the group’s identity is very “Vancouver,” they do not come across as an imitation or wanna-be. Immaculate Machine show incredible talent and excellent potential.
www.immaculatemachine.com
www.mintrecs.com

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Kimberly Rosenbauer

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 Past Constructive Criticism

leslie posted the following Constructive Criticism: You've got the singers all mixed up. The only song that Luke sings leads on is Small Talk. It is Brooke Gallupe's voice that you are hearing leads on in Dear Confessor and the rest of the album.