Review Summary: Could I have a Drive Like Jehu sound-alike please, topped with attitude and those little catchy surf-rock riffs on the side?... oh, and heavy on the sexy please!
Midnight Machine is unlike anything else of late. Vegas! is a group somehow transported from the heyday of the 90‘s, reminiscent of bands like Unwound and Drive Like Jehu, to modern day Berlin. They somehow combine surfy, over-driven guitars in a blender with a delightful indie surf vibe and the sexiness of the chica on the cover. While it may sound messy and a little unrefined, that almost seems like the point at times. The genuine, percussive tunes seem energetic to the point of annoyance here and there, but are careful never to cross the line. The band’s natural propensity to make it lovable gives way to harmonious (not aurally speaking, but rather in the sense that it fits well) bliss. At a modest 5 songs, the
Midnight Machine EP is more impressive in the sense of Vegas!’s unique sound, rather than the actual songs themselves. Keep Vegas! at the top of your radar of upcoming bands that aren’t content with rehashing the sounds of last year.
In actuality, there’s rarely a moment on
Midnight Machine that stands out and makes you gasp in relapse. Instead, as the EP begins to sink in, you feel yourself becoming more and more inclined towards the catchy punk riffs erected nicely among the mostly clean vocal melodies. Sure, “Safehoue For Tigers” has some slower sections that solidify feelings that say, “Vegas! has definite potential;” but even so, it’s not a song with serious replay value. “Scream & Shout,” with provocative lyrics and a line that I dare you
not to get stuck in your head,
”Just scream my name now / Just spit it out now / I never felt so good, in my life”, seems to hit the spot at first. Upon repeat listens though, the single track becomes a bit underwhelming in its lack of substance. These all sound like negative points, don’t they?
Well, maybe in one respect. Taken in a different context, though, and
Midnight Machine is one of the more exciting EPs to begin the decade. Rather than simply including a few catchy songs with one-liners and lovable riffs, Vegas! grant us a look into their sound, and one that translates
perfectly to the LP format. An encompassing attitude envelopes
Midnight Machine in a dark, sexy curtain just waiting to be unwound. Sound enticing? That’s because it is.
