B! Machine--"The Falling Star"

It took me a long time to really appreciate B! Machine. The music was just so minimalistic and seemingly simple that it didn't really grab me. Finally, after hearing the song "In Thrall" for the 30th time or so (I had my MP3 player set to randomize all songs) it hit me how good it was.

So, I eventually ended up getting all of B! Machine's music through A Different Drum, and I discovered lots of good stuff and several of my all-time favorite synthpop songs. My favorites include: Forget, This Dark Day, Temple, Angels, Opal, Door Inside a Door, Atmosphere, and In Thrall.

So, when "The Falling Star" came out I knew I'd have to eventually get it. I'm happy to report that it has its fair share of great B! Machine songs, and the rest of the album is pretty good too. If you've never heard B! Machine, I'd say the singer, Nate Nicoll, has a sufficiently Depeche Mode-like quality to his voice, though he's not just another David Gahan immitator; his voice has a unique quality that's hard to describe. On this album his voice starts sounding a bit like Martin Gore at times, with a slight quiver in the voice.

So here's a breakdown of what I thought of the songs on "The Falling Star":

#1 My Beautiful Friend-- This is my favorite song on the album. It's a great addition to my list of favorite B! Machine songs. Great writing, and a very beautiful song overall. 5 stars

#2 Mystery-- A pretty good song. It's less catchy than the best B! Machine songs are. 2.5 stars

#3 Hear Me-- Really good song. Almost as good as track 1. 4.5 stars

#4 RedRed-- Beautiful song with haunting synth and a great chorus. 4 stars

#5 Illumination-- Pretty song, but just a bit too drowsy for me. 2.5 stars

#6 Cloud Burst-- Similar to track 5, but a touch better. 3 stars

#7 A Place Called Home-- Great song! This is another great B! Machine song. Everything works for me in this one; the lyrics are strong, the voice is perfect, and the beat and synths are mesmerizing. 5 stars

#8 Walkaway-- Very slow song, with beautiful vocals. 3 stars

#9 Eden-- Another slow, very beautiful song. These types of songs do start to blend together in my mind a bit. 3 stars

#10 Believer-- Solid song, not a standout though. 3 stars

#11 Consequence-- More upbeat than the last several songs, this one arrives just in time to end the album on a really high note. 4.5 stars

Actually, "Consequence" isn't quite the end; the album finishes up with three remixes, two of which are of songs (Muse and Lost) from The Evening Bell album. All the remixes are solid.

"The Falling Star" is an above-average B! Machine album, with more than its fair share of great songs.

Favorite eMusic Synthpop

I buy most of my synthpop from A Different Drum, the great synthpop label and online store that has led the way for the underground synthpop movement since the early 1990s. But my second-favorite source of synthpop is eMusic. Here are my top eMusic "finds":

#1 Mesh--"We Collide" (Also "Original 91 to 93")
WOW. (See my first review for details.)

#2 Lavantgarde--"Inside Out"
Almost perfect.

#3 Beborn Beton--"Tales from Another World"
What a find! The CD itself is very expensive, but you can get the music almost free on eMusic.

#4 And One--"Bodypop"
Great stuff.

#5 Iris--"Reconnect," "Wrath," "Hydra," "Awakening," "Disconnect,"
Why isn't Iris a huge hit in U.S.?

#6 Wolfsheim--"Spectators," "Casting Shadows," "55578," "No Happy View," etc.
Lots of incredibly good synthpop.

#7 Conetik--"Carbon Elektriq"
Songs are so catchy and fun.

#8 Soil and Eclipse--"Archetype," "Meridian," "Purity"
They have some stunning songs in my opinion. My favorite: "Whispering Trees."

#9 Minerve--"Breathing Avenue" and "Sensefiction"
Basically unknown band with some fantastic songs. Favorites: "Escape" and "Take Me Higher."

#10 Leiahdorus--"Parallel Universe"
Beautiful, creative, original synthpop.

#11 B! Machine--"The Evening Bell"
eMusic only has one album by B! Machine, but it's got their best song: "Forget." It's one of the most haunting and unforgettable (no pun intended) songs I've ever heard. In my experience, B! Machine takes some time before it grows on you. Give it time, though, and you'll find a lot to love.

#12 Dignity of Labour--"The Dignity of Labour"
Very fun old-school synthpop with great vocals. They shouldn't have called it quits.

#13 Neuroactive--"Fiber-Optic Rhythm"
This is really good music, but "Transients" is even better. Pick it up from A Different Drum.

#14 Sero.Overdose--"No Time for Silence"
Really energetic, mostly fun synthpop. I did find one song with serious swearing in it. I forget which one, because I deleted it.

#15 De/Vision--"Subkutan," "Remixed"
Not their best work, but still very good. Pick up their best stuff from A Different Drum.

#16 Raindancer--"Audio," "Response"
It's fast, energetic music. Interesting vocals. To get the gist, listen to "Come With Me," "Sleepless," "Regret," and "Falling Stars."

Honorable Mentions:
#17 Resurrection Eve--"Rapture," "Ascension"
Similar to Soil and Eclipse. Just a small step down from them in my opinion.

#18 Melotron--"Propaganda"
At least get "Broken." It's a brilliant synthpop song. One of my all time favorites. Most of the rest of their work is in German.

#19 Camouflage--"Motif Sky"
This is just a single, but it has Camouflage's best song in years: "Conversation." It's a must-have for Camouflage fans.