This came out in 2006 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
If you rebuild it, will they come back?
The Secret Machines have gotta be asking themselves that right about now. And with good reason. Their sophomore album Ten Silver Drops finds the Dallas-bred dream-rockers tinkering daringly with the seemingly foolproof sonic blueprint of their impressive 2004 debut Now Here Is Nowhere.
Oh sure, on the surface, the eight cuts on this self-produced 45-minute disc still betray the same list of influences as before — the trippy dust-bowl psychedelia of regional neighbours like Flaming Lips, the robotic grooves and proggy keyboards of ’70s Krautrock, the anthemic majesty of U2, the punchy drums of classic rock. But scratch a little deeper and it becomes apparent the songs have not remained exactly the same.
What’s missing? Sadly, much of the big, bombastic bash ’n’ swagger. Josh Garza’s heavy-handed Bonhamesque drumming seems more toned down and reined in, moved slightly back in the mix to make more room for all the treated guitars, moody synthesizers and squealing effects pedals wielded by Brandon and Ben Curtis. It’s not just the drums; many if not most of the sharp sonic corners that poked out of their sound two years ago have been smoothed out, making for a moodier, murkier and more challenging experience that emphasizes sweeping arrangements over tight choruses. Just add dry ice, strobe lights, a planetarium laser show and a bong and you’re halfway there.
Not that I’m really complaining; despite (or perhaps because) they are tougher nuts to crack, cuts like Alone, Jealous And Stoned, Daddy’s In the Doldrums, the Iggy-in-Berlin All at Once (It’s Not Important) and the thundering I Hate Pretending are as good as (if not better than) anything from Nowhere. But you gotta wonder whether those old fans will upgrade to Secret Machines 2.0 or just write them off as last year’s model.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries