Immaculate Machine

WHO: Immaculate Machine
WHERE: Amigo's
WHEN: Aug. 16

I've been listening to Immaculate Machine's Fables albums since slightly before it came out this June (just had to assert my street cred).

Sometimes it really helps to get to know songs really well before shows, which is admittedly something I don't always do. I liked that the Victoria-based trio mixed up their old ones with the new, although the new really did seem fresher, sparklier, and strangely more youthful.

I would have loved to hear Kathryn Calder (who does some time with The New Pornographers) sing more ballads from the new album. I was waiting for the Regina line — "I've never been so glad to see Regina before" — in the song Northeastern Wind, but I think I may have missed it. Her voice is such a treasure, so quiet and unassuming, yet enchanting and incredibly nuanced. At times fellow vocalist and guitarist Brooke Gallupe's voice overpowered hers, as he puts a lot more push behind it, but some of the best moments vocally were when the pair listened carefully to each other in their harmonies.

Immaculate Machine did play C'mon Sea Legs, which was redemption for me. I didn't realize it but that song has infected my brain on several occasions, and served as a rallying cry for any scary thing I've had to do during the past few months.

The group is just about done their summer tour behind the album, then according to drummer Luke Kozlowski, the hard-working band is travelling up and down the west coast, then over to the east coast, then perhaps overseas in the new year. It might be all work and no play, but the unmistakable joy I detected on Kozlowski's face as they locked tightly into their up-tempo songs shows that it's worth it. And it was worth it for me, so they should know their hard work isn't wasted on these ears. Cheers.

Pictures coming soon.