The Help Machine is the seventh studio album by American rock band Fastball.
| The Help Machine | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 18, 2019 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 36 minutes | |||
| Label | 33 1/3 Records | |||
| Producer | Steve Berlin | |||
| Fastball chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Help Machine | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
| The Austin Chronicle | [2] |
| The Alternate Root | [3] |
Background
editThe album was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, who personally selected the tracks[4] for the album from a list of songs provided to him by members Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga.[5] Berlin recruited bassist Bruce Hughes,[6][7] This freed Scalzo to concentrate on keyboards and guitar.[8]
This album marks the first time since The Harsh Light of Day that a Fastball album does not feature songs co-written by Scalzo and Zuniga.[5]
The first single off of the album, "The Help Machine", addresses the effects of consumerism. According to Zuniga, "[the song is] just about emptiness and the feeling that things that are supposed to make us happy don't."[9]
Critical reception
editDescribed as "ethereal",[10] the album also features the band's signature sound with comparisons to Elvis Costello[11] and the Beatles.[12] Pop Matters magazine referred to the album as "pop perfection."[13] The album features a "thick modern sound"[14] and is considered to be a great introduction to the band's catalog. Critics called the album "near perfect"[15] and considered it one of the best albums of 2019.[16]
To support the album, Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga performed live tracks for Paste Magazine.[17]
Track listing
edit- "Friend or Foe" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:56
- "White Collar" (Tony Scalzo) – 3:31
- "Holding the Devil's Hand" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:12
- "Redeemed" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:04
- "All Gone Fuzzy" (Tony Scalzo) – 3:17
- "The Help Machine" (Miles Zuniga) – 4:14
- "Surprise Surprise" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:32
- "The Girl You Pretended to Be" (Tony Scalzo) – 2:18
- "I Go South" (Miles Zuniga) – 2:31
- "Doesn't It Make You Feel Small" (Tony Scalzo) – 2:56
- "Never Say Never" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:11
Personnel
edit- Tony Scalzo – vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, guitar
- Miles Zuniga – vocals, guitar
- Joey Shuffield – drums, percussion
Guest musicians
- Andy Steck – drums, wurlitzer, juno (track 6), e-bow, piano (track 1)
- Bruce Hughes – bass guitar, additional vocals
- Charlie Sexton – guitar (track 8)
- Gordy Quist – additional vocals
- John Chipman – drums (track 1)
- Kevin McKinney – guitar (track 10)
- Steve Berlin – percussion
References
edit- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ "Fastball: The Help Machine Album Review". The Austin Chronicle.
- ^ "fastball the help machine". The Alternate Root.
- ^ Ruggiero, Bob. "Fastball Looks for Answers to Life's Issues from The Help Machine". Houston Press.
- ^ a b Development, PodBean. "Episode 240 - Joey Shuffield of Fastball". thehustle.podbean.com.
- ^ "MAGNET Exclusive: Premiere Of Fastball's "The Help Machine"". August 1, 2019.
- ^ "NOTHING TRICKY ABOUT THIS SONIC PITCH, JUST a SCORCHING… Fastball". 2 November 2019.
- ^ "Music Minded: Fastball releases details on forthcoming album 'The Help Machine'". August 1, 2019.
- ^ Graff, Gary (October 14, 2019). "Fastball's 'The Help Machine' Video Sends Up the Emptiness of Consumerism: Premiere". Billboard.
- ^ Pozzolano, Vincent (October 17, 2019). "Fastball – The Help Machine (Album Review)".
- ^ "Fastball Try Out Different Rock Sounds on Steve Berlin-Produced LP 'The Help Machine' (ALBUM REVIEW)". 16 October 2019.
- ^ "Fastball, The Help Machine, 2019".
- ^ "Fastball's "The Girl You Pretended to Be" Is Pop Perfection (premiere + interview), PopMatters". September 9, 2019.
- ^ "babysue: Comics, Poetry, and Reviews by LMNOP (aka dONW7) - October 2019". babysue.com.
- ^ "October 2019". October 4, 2019.
- ^ "The 25 best albums of 2019". Yardbarker. March 31, 2020.
- ^ "Fastball – The Help Machine". Paste Magazine. September 14, 2019.