Immaculate Machine: New Album and Tour

Victoria B.C.'s Immaculate Machine has long been one of Canada's most underrated bands. Many people, myself included, felt that their third album Fables deserved serious consideration for the Polaris Music Prize but the album, surprisingly, didn't even make the long list. Hopefully with High on Jackson Hill (scheduled to drop on April 28) the band will start to get some long overdue attention.

The 2009 lineup for Immaculate Machine has changed a bit with Aden Collinge replacing Luke Kozlowski on drums and Caitlin Gallupe (Brooke's sister) joining on bass, a second guitarist, Jordan Minkoff and sometimes Leslie Rewega on keys, backing vocals and percussion. This has created a fuller sound than the band achieved as a three piece. Herohill, at any rate, seems to be into it:

"The 70’s swagger of He’s a Biter, straight ahead rock riff of Neighbours Don't Mind and infectious hook and chorus of Thank Me Later really infuse the record with energy and pave the way for more subdued, orchestral efforts like I Know It's Not as Easy or And it Was. Honest emotion pours out of the back porch, Kathryn led You Destroyer, but some how the beautiful acoustic number stand along side the swanky, sultry feel of the single Sound the Alarms.

IM has been playing music for a long time – three albums and a couple of EPs – but this record feels like it might have been the most fun to record (even though it’s the least poppy in my opinion). Instead of being concerned with audience, High on Jackson Hill shows the freedom of recording sessions where no idea was discarded without giving it a try first. The band even escaped the pressures and gloss of the studio by recording the songs in a basement instead, letting the noises of the neighborhood and grit of the sessions shape the sound."

All opinions aside it sounds like this:

Immaculate Machine - Sound the Alarms


You can check out some more at myspace.com/immaculatemachine and you can catch them live at the days and places below:

24 Apr Ford Plant Brantford, Ontario
25 Apr Townehouse Tavern Sudbury, Ontario
26 Apr Arcadia House Sault Ste Marie, Ontario
29 Apr Phog Lounge Windsor, Ontario
30 Apr The Drake Toronto, Ontario
1 May Club Lambi Montreal, Quebec
2 May BC Scene: Babylon Ottawa, Ontario
4 May Piano’s New York, New York
5 May Casbah Hamilton, Ontario
8 May Biltmore Cabaret Vancouver, British Columbia
9 May Logan’s Victoria, British Columbia

Oh and just for fun: one of my favorite songs and videos of 2008

Immaculate Machine - Dear Confessor