Thursday 20 September 2012

Stone Machine - Stone Machine

A Nuance

Stone Machine’s eponymous debut album has been re-released by Grooveyard Records – though I did get my copy as a digital download from Amazon [advertised on the label's website] – and it certainly reinforces the basic rock roots of their most recent release American Honey. There are no doilies on the hard arm rests of this fundamental sofa of sound. As Grooveyard Records themselves state, this is highly recommended to fans of Bad Company, Free, Humble Pie, Led Zeppelin, Montrose, James Gang, Foreigner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Badlands & Cry Of Love and that just about hits all the bases in terms of defining the lineage as well as aural impact.

Stone Machine as a band would appear to nurture a cool anonymity. I haven’t been able to find any information or images online, other than album covers and the pronouncements from record label Grooveyard. And it’s fine to let the music speak for itself – there isn’t much that needs articulation when it is as effectively generic as this. You just need big speakers and plenty of volume. Perhaps this also avoids completely that other peripheral aspect of the industry where image is so important, but I am surprised not to find reviews of live gigs. It’s a sound you want to hear and feel pummelling your head.

Groveyard Records are themselves an interesting outfit, as their manifesto makes clear: For many years, the music industry has turned its back on heavy guitar rock music and Grooveyard Records wanted to do the "right thing" and step up to the musical plate to give bad-ass, killer "six string mojo" a new home with a solid foundation that includes a worldwide network of serious heavy guitar freaks who still dig & appreciate "old-school" blues-based guitar rock mojo. This style of music is unfortunately "niche" @ best these daze, however, we don't let that stop us from doing everything in our power to produce and release mega-awesome guitar rock

If you are going to begin your aural association with this band it is their most recent release American Honey that should be your starting point with its maturer sound, though that is quite a nuance when promoting it, as I am, as straightforward if excellently executed raw rock. I do think the latter release probably does kick ass with more spring in the 'ol retro settee. But their first studio pummelling is still very enjoyable.

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