The Neighbours Won't Mind If You Listen To Immaculate Machine

Lethbridge’s first great indie-rock show of the semester started the night before classes did this year, with Immaculate Machine coming down to Henotic last Tuesday and the Square Waves as the opening act.

Warming things up with their synth-heavy sound to a growing crowd, the Square Waves greased everyone’s ears nicely. Jeff King fronts this group and he displayed some fierce energy in doing so, his passionate vocalization captivating many in attendance. According to their website, they were originally conceived as a “Kraftwerk garage band” and that is definitely a fitting descriptor, with thumping beats, piercing electronic keys/samplers and just enough of a rock edge to bring it all together for a solidly enjoyable set.

Kicking off their set with “Don’t Build the Bridge” – the same song that opens their new album, High on Jackson Hill – Immaculate Machine immediately wowed with leader Brooke Gallupe’s vocals being complemented by Brooke Wilken’s stunning high harmonies and a stirring guitar freak-out section. They followed with “Only Love You for Your Car” which they recently released an awesome video for that’s very reminiscent of Mad Max, but with bicycles. Bringing out some older material from 2007’s Fables, “Come on Sea Legs” had the three-part harmonies in full effect and is just an amazingly written song, with chord changes that grab you by the throat and jerk you around. They slowly got a few people actually up and dancing with more new material, including “He’s A Biter” and “Neighbours Won’t Mind”, jamming out the latter extensively with Gallupe showing he can solo just as well as he can write and sing. Getting to the end of their set, they were coached back for a two-song encore, closing the night with “So Cynical” from their 2005 album Ones and Zeros. They head off for a European tour in a couple weeks; so until they return you can check them out at www.immaculatemachine.com to get your fill.