The Machine in the Garden
XV
Deus X Machina

Roger Fracé and Summer Bowman celebrated 15 years as a band last year and released this collection of remixes and outtakes and some new songs. Their darkwave sound has been refined since the start and these songs form a cohesive whole rather than seem disparate.

"Mental Wasteland" could send dancefloors into rapture with its heavy beats. "Wonderland (Mad Hatter Mix)" sounds more rhythmic than the original and Bowman's vocals are as lovely as ever. "Six Days" is an outtake from a previous album and it's a classic sort of a darkwave song, all mournful vocals and Cure-ish backing music. "On the Wire" is a Sisters of mercy cover that with its own peculiar slant to it. Bowman's vocals are as different from Eldricth's as can be. "Otherworld" is the other new song and it's a fitting way to end the album. Bowman is ably supported by throbbing guitars and an ethereal mood.

This is a good summation of a great band's history and a good place for new fans to start.

Copyright © 2008 Anna Maria Stjärnell