Fourth Son South’s latest EP Machine is a glammed up, hard-ish rocking album that, for all its tropes, searches for a silver lining in the midst of modern-day chaos with unavoidable catchiness.
Generally speaking I’m not a fan of modern bands treading worn out paths but, despite my best efforts, Machine found its way into my bones and got my toes tapping.
While there are moments that leave something to be desired, mainly in the vocal department, and while the EP may be guilty of not having much by way of variety it can’t be denied that Fourth Son South have a detailed understanding of the sound they’re recreating.
However it’s only the music that’s stuck in the 20th century as Machine’s lyrics touch on issues specific to the chaos we’re living through at the moment. “Power to the People” uses its catchy riffs and infectious rhythm to remind us that our freedom isn’t as liberating as we’d like and that our news sources can’t always be relied on – while “Tomorrow’s Better,” which features Melissa Osborne, gives a harder edge to its reminder that there is always hope for the future.
Sure, Machine follows the glam-rock formula to a tee and there’s room for improvement, but it’s as infectious as anything written during the genre’s moment in the spotlight and its lyrics, so full of hope, are a tonic to the 21st century shit-show.
Feature pic supplied by artist.
