The noises Machines make...

Another double-stuffed Oreo of an entry, this time from two acts who share a titular commonality.

First up is the much-anticipated solo project from TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone, Rain Machine. The self-titled debut on Anti- (seriously, this Epitaph subsidiary has a friggin' dream roster: Tom Waits, Joe Henry, Mavis Staples, Islands and more) just dropped to whatever hysteria is smaller than 'mass' but still sizable.

The album is as difficult to pin down and as challenging a listen as you would expect of someone involved with TVOTR. There are beautiful passages, noise, nonsense, rawk and more on offer on Rain Machine and it has quickly earned a spot on the longlist.

Stereogum posted "Smiling Black Faces" at the beginning of the month if you want to take a listen, though that track and "Give Blood" are both streaming on Rain Machine's Myspace page.

Here's a recent live performance of "Give Blood" from a show in Brooklyn:


Speaking of Brooklyn, the second album comes by way of an East Village band called Electric Tickle Machine who played selections from their album Blew It Again at a show early this summer when this video for "Something Else" was recorded:


The band will be back in Brooklyn for a spate of dates as part of the CMJ extravaganza/bonanza (if you're going, I am indeed jealous) October 20 - 23 so check the band's Myspace page or the CMJ site for more info.

Blew It Again is a solid offering of fuzzed out rock with some really catchy pop hooks buried beneath the squall of guitar (nowhere more-so than on the title-track). The band is unsigned but getting promotional support from the fine folks at Pirate! promotion (who have no affiliation with Andrew McCutchen*) which is how the album landed on my desk recently.

Thanks for reading, now start listening.

*McCutchen for NL Rookie of the Year!!