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Wave Machines : 'Punk Spirit'

Released: 31st August 2009
Label: Neopolitan Recordings
With the debut LP ‘Wave If You’re Really There’ out last June, The Wave Machines are a Liverpool foursome with steady, alternative rock credentials. With introspection and neurosis, the Machines are synthesized rock-pop with a clean finish – and right in time for the UK Festival season.
Surprisingly the new single ‘Punk Spirit’, released at the end of the month, got a 7 from Pitchfork.com. And, in Pitchfork standards, the review was pretty badly written. Thus, The Wave Machines, with their meticulous image and steady music, infiltrated the Pitchfork office and wrote their own article. Woah, they’ve been on Marc Riley’s show on BBC6???
The Wave Machines are geniuses.
‘Punk Spirit’ is introduced with a jingle-jangle of playful guitars, with a surly-bored vocal, “Every time your back was turned, I’d put my finger in the air, and every time you turn around, I’d hide it – where’s my punk spirit, when I need it?” Guitars then reluctantly plod into a pretty synth chorus, with more ‘where’s my punk spirit…” and the inescapable cooes of ‘ah ahaha’.
The above is a formula for a festival closer anthem: sadness, nostalgia, mediocre synth rock-pop…The Wave Machines.
Words: Alice White