The Dandy Warhols - This Machine (2012)

I don’t claim to understand the Dandy Warhols most of the time, I just sit back and enjoy the ride. This Machine offers some familiarity, with the pulsating baselines and laid-back attitude of “Sad Vacation” or the hypnotic rhythm and breathy vocals of “Autumn Carnival”. However, as always, there is something new and interesting. This Machine is heavier, exposing an often grinding and violently strummed guitar. The upbeat “Enjoy Yourself”, along with “SETI vs. the WOW signal”, playfully bringing together an almost mocking tone in the lyrics with pounding and often rough instrumentation. A couple of surprising combinations are the haunting ballad “Well They’re Gone” which easily sets the mind to wander, which contrasts inquisitively with the uplifting guitar and horns combo of “I Am Free”. But what would be a Warhols' album without the psychedelic meditative trance and lighter-than-air vocals of “Don’t Shoot She Cried”, chased by a strong dose of the Dandy 'weird' in "Side" to finish off the album, right? As a whole, This Machine has is paired-down with less synth and less of the catchy hooks present in previous albums, but it still exudes a great energy.