My Friend Terry's Dream Machine

In every imaginable way, this is a step above My Friend Terrys Dream Machine’s prior releases. The production is improved while retaining a raw, home-recorded sound which gives it a warm feeling. The instrumentation is more in-depth and varied, offering more to dig into than before. The vocals are utilized quite well as an instrument, sometimes taking a background approach rather than a full frontal one. A few of the songs are quite short, running around or under 2 minutes. These are the songs with less ideas to sustain them for the longer running times, whereas the longer songs are designated for the songs with the ideas to sustain the length. This is an idea that should make sense but it is a mistake that a lot of artists tend to make (i.e. 90% of Metallica songs are 2 minutes worth of ideas stretched to 5 minutes). “Daybreaker” has the most noodling of any song on the album but its a necessary noodling. At this point in the album, the noodling is a welcome change in pace. The album closes out on a mellow note.

Overall, this is the best My Friend Terrys Dream Machine album yet. More interesting structures, instrumentation and better production carry it to another level. The album’s short run-time is also something I enjoyed as I have preferred shorter albums lately (rather than the large 1 – 2 hour albums I have preferred in the past).

8/10 – Great - Jesse Revell Reviews

Its aesthetic heavily reminisces of structural film technique (think ‘The Central Region’ by Michael Snow). The shapes and movements are formally acknowledged while the content is framed as a secondary aspect of the media (the music exists as a catalyst for ‘mood’ and the lack of visual clarity lends itself to more dreamy interpretations). Subsequently, the focus on shapes, movements and mood results in the feeling of a surrealist fluttering through the wheat fields of the Saskatchewan prairies. Well done.

8/10 – Great - Jesse Revell Reviews

Much like the music video for “Configurations”, the music video for “Universum” reminisces of structural film technique. However, while “Configurations” was mostly concerned with a more intimate feel (specifically with the Saskatchewan prairies), “Universum” feels more like a universal contemplation. We begin the video with a person in frame but the camera tilts upwards and then across the sky before finally making itself towards the ground. Human existence is but a snippet of time and place as far as the universe is concerned but a snippet is a part of the whole nonetheless. Just as life itself, the video ends in a beautiful silence.

8/10 – Great - Jesse Revell Reviews

The cover instantly reminded me of the film ‘Solaris’ by Andrei Tarkovsky (which is cool) – definitely fitting to the album name / band name.

Musically, this album is a pretty straight-forward blend of psychedelic bluesy rock and it has a very mellow flow to it as the songs give the impression that they just keep moving forward while staying in the same place (almost as if they were jogging on the spot while a green-screened background image moves backwards behind them). Sometimes there are hiccups in the transitions (mostly with the drums) but most of the time the rest of the instrumentals feel loose enough that the lack of precision feels purposeful.

The album’s dreamy atmosphere gives it a loose sound while staying focused and never losing sight of its influences (Hendrix, anyone?). At an unexhaustive 25-ish minutes, the album is an enjoyable, laid back and easy listen that rewards those willing to gaze into its trippy abyss.. stare long enough and it stares back. A recommended listen to those who enjoy instrumental music.

7/10 – Good - Jesse Revell Reviews

Warmth and sincerity reign supreme in ‘Love, Drugs, Dreams, Machines, Nightmares’ as instruments and vocals coalesce into one gigantic mood. Each song sweeps you off your feet before promptly throwing you away and into the next song. A worthwhile and modest listen that is felt as much as it is heard. - Jesse Revell Reviews