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Album Details

• Artist: Mike Clark
• Album: Darker Machines
• Label: Copperspine
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-12-18

Mike Clark was a former university wrestler and having done time in the oilfield he decided to take it easy and be a road manager for Tegan and Sara. Tired of doing all the hard work, Clark has decided to make his own music and Darker Machines is our introduction to what he has to offer. It's a fairly typical singer/songwriter album but the thing with with Darker Machines is that it is totally compelling. I have listened to it over and over and feel that Mike Clark offers up something a little different and a little more diverse than a lot of other songwriters right now. The album is diverse in a way that very few songwriters are getting across these days. Some might lump Mike into the Americana genre but there is as much a rock element as there is a folk element. Try explaining to a folk fan that the album closer "Built The War" is a folk song. You would have nothing to stand on. There are some pretty cool effects going on. But then again, on "Down", the album opener, you could easily even convince the biggest Americana fan that Mike Clark is the next big thing. There are some pretty big tempo changes on Darker Machines as well as style changes. I get a big Sam Roberts/Jack Johnson feel on "Crumbs", probably the best song on the album. And probably the most rocking track on the album has to be "Sick Of You" with some pretty interesting chord progressions. Then on "Threes and Fours" there is some of the nicest guitar playing from a Canadian. The songs are fairly simple with melody being the main focus. The Vancouver based producer simply known as Futcher (Be Good Tanyas) provides a perfect atmosphere on the album. This album is definitely not instantaneous. Because the music is very understated it takes about 4-5 listens before you fall in love with it.

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