The Automatic - Cardiff Point
Artist profile:
The Automatic
Date: 29/04/08
Rating: ****
Chunkier of riff than tonight’s other bands, Attack Attack fit their name well, being thrust onstage moments after doors open and plying through their set of Fall Out Boy meets Funeral For A Friend (or FOB-meets-FFAF if you will) that would probably be more effective once people had a chance to get the drinks in.
Viva Machine get a more deserving welcome; habitual touring partners with the headliners, the Swansea act already have a vocal fanbase in the audience as they rush through a too-short set. Their keyboard-laced groove showcasing songs as good as ‘Yo-Ho’ and ‘Oxygen’, with the latter in particular being a treat tonight, having evolved from its recorded version into a beefier and more dynamic live experience. And then of course, there’s ‘Death Star Trucker’, a song with more bounce than a spring factory built out of rubber and perfect example of why it’s a fucking crime they haven’t been signed or released an album yet.
The Automatic are approaching the release of what will prove far more than the usual ‘difficult second album’. Their début was not only impressive, but produced mainstream chart hits – one of which was played to death then resurrected to play some more on radio, at clubs, on adverts – it was everywhere. Add this to the fact they parted with prominent member (squawking Keyboard loon) Pennie, what’s coming over that hill is a bigger challenge than us trying to regain respect after such an awful pun. Sorry. If The Automatic are daunted by this, however, you would never know – they play with the confidence of a band that knows they're on to a winner. And it’s with good reason; the new material and tonight’s show are outstanding.
New member Paul Mullen fits like he’s always been there (we say this as one of the few music reviewers who actually liked what Pennie brought to the band) and with the new line-up and the past two years of touring, The Automatic are an immeasurably better band. Mullen brings his experience into the mix, visible and audible during new number ‘Magazines’. The second guitar beefs up the sound, making older tracks like ‘Recover’ twice their size – but tonight is all about the new material. It goes down incredibly well, and while the audience stage right are tonight’s designated drivers, the other half is going batshit loco to tracks it’s never even heard before. Heavier and more dynamic than earlier material, the songs still retain a ridiculous level of catchiness – no more so than on first single and fan favourite in the making ‘Steve McQueen’
For all their improvements, nothing beats the explosive ‘That’s What She Said’, and the crowd all go duly crazy for that song, but the enthusiastic reaction awarded to the new material is an incredibly promising sign for what the future holds. Some people say they won’t be as successful as they were, and there’ll be a legion of detractors awaiting their downfall for nothing more than having songs in the charts, but for those actually willing to discover they have more than one song, you’ll find The Automatic are well on their way to becoming one of the most exciting acts in the country.
Phillip May
The Automatic Official Site
The Automatic Myspace
The Automatic Youtube Channel
Buy The Automatic CDs | Buy The Automatic mp3s | Buy The Automatic Tickets | Buy The Automatic Merch
Date: 29/04/08
Rating: ****
Chunkier of riff than tonight’s other bands, Attack Attack fit their name well, being thrust onstage moments after doors open and plying through their set of Fall Out Boy meets Funeral For A Friend (or FOB-meets-FFAF if you will) that would probably be more effective once people had a chance to get the drinks in.
Viva Machine get a more deserving welcome; habitual touring partners with the headliners, the Swansea act already have a vocal fanbase in the audience as they rush through a too-short set. Their keyboard-laced groove showcasing songs as good as ‘Yo-Ho’ and ‘Oxygen’, with the latter in particular being a treat tonight, having evolved from its recorded version into a beefier and more dynamic live experience. And then of course, there’s ‘Death Star Trucker’, a song with more bounce than a spring factory built out of rubber and perfect example of why it’s a fucking crime they haven’t been signed or released an album yet.
The Automatic are approaching the release of what will prove far more than the usual ‘difficult second album’. Their début was not only impressive, but produced mainstream chart hits – one of which was played to death then resurrected to play some more on radio, at clubs, on adverts – it was everywhere. Add this to the fact they parted with prominent member (squawking Keyboard loon) Pennie, what’s coming over that hill is a bigger challenge than us trying to regain respect after such an awful pun. Sorry. If The Automatic are daunted by this, however, you would never know – they play with the confidence of a band that knows they're on to a winner. And it’s with good reason; the new material and tonight’s show are outstanding.
New member Paul Mullen fits like he’s always been there (we say this as one of the few music reviewers who actually liked what Pennie brought to the band) and with the new line-up and the past two years of touring, The Automatic are an immeasurably better band. Mullen brings his experience into the mix, visible and audible during new number ‘Magazines’. The second guitar beefs up the sound, making older tracks like ‘Recover’ twice their size – but tonight is all about the new material. It goes down incredibly well, and while the audience stage right are tonight’s designated drivers, the other half is going batshit loco to tracks it’s never even heard before. Heavier and more dynamic than earlier material, the songs still retain a ridiculous level of catchiness – no more so than on first single and fan favourite in the making ‘Steve McQueen’
For all their improvements, nothing beats the explosive ‘That’s What She Said’, and the crowd all go duly crazy for that song, but the enthusiastic reaction awarded to the new material is an incredibly promising sign for what the future holds. Some people say they won’t be as successful as they were, and there’ll be a legion of detractors awaiting their downfall for nothing more than having songs in the charts, but for those actually willing to discover they have more than one song, you’ll find The Automatic are well on their way to becoming one of the most exciting acts in the country.
Phillip May
The Automatic Official Site
The Automatic Myspace
The Automatic Youtube Channel
Buy The Automatic CDs | Buy The Automatic mp3s | Buy The Automatic Tickets | Buy The Automatic Merch
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