Alex Machacek – SIC

Alex Machacek admits, “I do it all with the mouse, punching sampled notes into the computer. The only thing I really play is the guitar.”

The album features Terry Bozzio (drummer extraordinaire) [1, 2, 5] who is assimilated into the mix purely by software. Raphael Preuschl (upright bass) [3, 4, 6, 8, 9], Herbert Pirker (drums) [4, 6, 8, 9], and Mario Lackner (drums) [7] find themselves plugged into the program as well. Plus, his wife Sumitra Nanjundan (vocals) [2] is also patched in.

Here’s an idea of the extemporaneous fun you’ll encounter in this album:

[sic] – We begin with a queasy stomach caused by a dizzy sequence. It’s not for long before it’s coated in Pepto-Bismol. They talk us through the process with a wave of scantily clad chitter-chatter. Randy Allar is responsible for the silly commentary found here. Overall, the music inside this cut is mostly counter-melodic, but still it’s imaginative and engrossing. This is the epitome of experimental.

Indian Girl (Meets Austrian Boy) – This refers directly to the origins of Machacek and his wife. Sumitra incorporates her saintly voice into this pensive piece. This very well might be the most interesting piece in the collection.

Miss Understanding – This is a clever name for a song. I guess when you don’t have any vocals; you can focus all your verbal efforts into the title. That’s not where the creative juices end. You could say from the first note, the brainstorming begins.

Yellow Pages – As if he were looking for a salon, saloon, or bistro, Machacek’s fingers do the walking on the guitar. He peruses the material as he slowly flips through the pages. He’s mostly window shopping, but now and then, he comes in for a closer look. When he does, he inspects each detailed note.

Djon Djon – This is as flavorsome as smoked beef on a deli bun. It’s not just delicious, but also takes a walk on the wild side. It does so by spreading on hot horseradish and spicy mustard. As a result, the meat is drenched in a devishly-fiery Dijon. There isn’t just your run-of-the-mill Grey Poupon. There is scorching heat entrenched within the seeds of this piquant dressing. Not to mention, it’s so unpredictable, it’ll shock the system. Hidden in the midst of this fusion, there are even metal riffs.

Piano – The undulating licks in this jam are constant and shifting. Each gesticulation causes the buoys to heave and titter-totter in their place. At a point where the waves get too choppy to tolerate, only then does it find closure.

Out of Pappenheim – While it’s still impromptu material, this demonstrates an agile groove. More than a simple jog, he jumps the obstacles and hops over the fence. Regardless of what’s in the way, he conforms to a harried pace.

Austin Powers – I can’t say if this is intuitive or makes no sense as it’s all over the board in a lethargic manner. In either case, you have trouble in your attempts to turn away. Somehow, he solves the case and gets the job done even if his methods are indirect. While not credited, it almost seems as if there is brass in this beat. If this isn’t the secret agent man from England, you’ll be asking yourself, “Who’s Harry Crumb?”

The Ballad of the Dead Dog – If you’re concerned that this album will end on a sad note, don’t worry. This mongrel is only doing a trick. Initially, it’s unmoving and languid. When Machacek breaks the seal to his bag of doggy treats, he releases an enticing aroma. Once he does, our hairy friend comes back to life. When the supply is emptied out, he quickly runs off.

With this album, Alex Machacek creates innovative material out of imaginative jams. You couldn’t create these cuts with a basic hum or a simple snap. Suffice to say, it’s not the type of music meant for your typical sing-a-long. Instead, what Machacek does is fabricate art from professionally-cooked samples and his own guitar.

8/10