Classic and psychedelic rock get a much appreciated refreshment courtesy of
the Secret Machines on this debut EP. Recorded with members of
Califone at Clava Studios,
September 000 is part pulsing instrumental exposition and part stadium-size rock songwriting, with an emphasis on hazy bombast that makes
the Flaming Lips,
the Who, and
Pink Floyd obvious reference points. But the band holds their own against those monolithic influences quite well -- they're familiar without being too derivative; their arrangements and lyrics, along with
Brian Deck's production, breathe a great deal of life into their music. This is a great (if short) debut, even if the reprise of "Marconi's Radio" does sound an awful lot like
Madness' "Our House." ~ Bryan Carroll