Off the Map

Another Great Review from Steppie

The fun finger points to...

This wacky debut album An Introduction to the Bikini Machine by The BikiniMachine has an overall funky beach tone. Inspired by the campy 1965 secretagent spoof "Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine", this album plays out much like a soundtrack to the movie. It's as if Junior Senior and Beck had a lovechild that decided to do a James Bond soundtrack while taking cues from Moby. Most of the songs are intertwined with clips from the movie while maintaining interesting lyrics. It's a good album to beat the post-summer blues.

The song "I found a job" stand out from the album with a distinctly morekeyboard and funk sound. My personal favorite is the synth energized track"Have Love Will Travel", with its hoppin' dance party sound. Another favorites "Money Bum Bum Boogie" which sounds like a jiving 1960's dance. Yet theentire album is not all-upbeat tracks, every secret agent movie has the tense,dark moments like in the track "Strong and Ready". The album mellows out in the end with "Where is No. 1?" that has the basic beat and backing, mixed with clips as the lyrics, and ends with Vincent Price's distinct voice.

Despite its release in May, this album has been a hard find in stores but is available online. The only disappointment with An Introduction to The BikiniMachine was that it was only 10 tracks. This album remains consistent however,ever so slightly campy and nifty.

Thanks Steppie!

posted by Jason @ 6:45 am