Labels: Machismo’s Records
Review by: MH
The Machismo’s have been steadily churning out new releases lately after lying dormant for the best part of 20 years and this time we have twelve tracks unearthed from recordings which took place in 1995 and 1996. What was I doing with myself back then? Not sure. I saw The Machismo’s first ever show at the time after vocalist/drummer Sam Marsh’s previous band Jacob’s Mouse split up. It was at The Hope & Anchor in Islington and Des Man Deablo also played who featured members of other favourite bands of mine in Fabric and Dead Wrong. We’re still talking about some of these bands two decades later. I am anyway, as well as a handful of others. Those were the days. Anyway, I have heard these tracks before and hearing them again is most welcome. I distinctly remember buying the first 7inch they put out and sticking it on when I got home from the train up to London. The lead tracks off that first record and their second 7inch (“My Narghile” and “Death of a Friend”) appear here again by the way. It used to cost me a few quid for a one day travelcard from zone 6 and I’d head to the Rough Trade Shop in Covent Garden after walking past the singer from Fabric working in Slam City Skates above it and down the winding, creeky metal staircase with my friends to then spend ages sifting through the records and picking up flyers. That place was hugely important to me in finding out about gigs, records and music in general. These twelve tracks are riddled with grooves and are lo-fi, ramshackle and brilliant. The fact that they sound like no-one else keeps things sounding remarkably fresh. The barnstorming instrumental “Machismo’s Last Stand” is on here as are some more mellow groovers like “Jilt” and “Loosen Up” and it’s all rounded off very nicely with the more rowdy “Everybody’s Feeling This Way”. Someone take me back to 1995 so I can go and see all those bands again.