One of the most obvious and distinctive elements to any Secret Machines track is it's duration. Not one song, not one track, not one number falls into the core field of the average rock track margins, ie three and a half minutes. This as has proved time and time again that bands are now being much more adventurous with the length or, in some respects lack of it, to many tracks. Bands are spreading their wings, if you will, writing and creating songs which last anything from 59 seconds (Check out BYOP's Lets Get Sandy (Big Problem)) to Secret Machines very own First Wave Intact, on their debut album which lasts a mighty 9 minutes.
Here we find that Secret Machines have again gone for gold again, so you might say, and produce another hatful of songs which can last and last and last. Each song a gem and each ready for you to sitting down, strap your self in and listen intensively to every magical moment. This time round we have Ten Silver Drops. Lead Singer Brandon Curtis dreamt of the title. He gathered the relevant information from a dream about a cloud. A cloud that had ten silver drops left. He can quote the exact content that was used to form the dream:- " The lining's gone; all that's left are 10 silver drops" From here the album had it's foundations laid. The base on which another seven minute lullabies, starting with first single Alone, Jealous and Stoned propels the album further skyward.
Lightning Blue Eyes and Daddy's In The Doldrums have the quintessential Secret Machines stoned vibe to it, add into the mix rhythmic punch and clout of old (First Wave Intact, Sad & Lonely, The Road Leads Where Its Led et all) and the album comes alive to the sound of these spaced out cowboys tripping on a voyage to the heavens. Lyrically the album is more personally than the first. Blend all the songs together and you get one great big mashed up ball of inter-spaced, floatation induced indie/hippy magic.
Having seen Secret Machines live (6th April, SBE) the collective massive of songs from Ten Silver Drops are ready to strap you to the nearest moon-bound rocket, all ready wasted, filled with envy, and facing a long and arduous journey on your own. Though what awaits you is something worth waiting for. Brandon, Ben and Josh thrashing out track after track on the CD player built into the rockets mainframe computer system, Alone Jealous and Stoned, on repeat for the journey to keep you company. At a press of a button you can choose another song or if you wish press another larger button and change albums to Now Here Is Nowhere. What ever you decide the spaced out, psychadelic, prog-rock cowboys will welcome you as one of their own, and you simply can't say no. It's a one way ticket and you won't be coming back (though if like me, you probably, neigh almost certainly won't want to come back!).