n many ways, This Machine is probably the most measured album to date in The Dandy Warhols’ much storied history. Full to the brim of throbbing bass-lines, spectral guitars and a hushed vocal delivery from Courtney Taylor-Taylor (which at times sounds more like a spoken word performance than straight singing) the record’s stripped-back style delivers consistently intriguing results.
‘The Autumn Carnival’ is a bit like The xx given a Portland make-over and features some absolutely beautiful hooks, while ‘Rest Your Head’ is a booming, goth-tinged number that swells the heart by making the sad times seem fun: it is sure to be a future classic. Ultimately though, they’re not enough to make this album a great one and the throwaway, novelty tracks like ‘Enjoy Yourself’ and ’16 Tons’ ensure tha what could have been a really great record falls ahort.