The Help Machine

The Help Machine
Studio album by
Fastball
ReleasedOctober 18, 2019
GenreRock
Length36 minutes
Label33 1/3 Records
ProducerSteve Berlin
Fastball chronology
Step Into Light
(2017) 		The Help Machine
(2019) 		Soundtrack - EP
(2022)
Singles from The Help Machine
  1. "The Help Machine"
    Released: 2018
  2. "White Collar"
    Released: 2019
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllmusicStarStarStarHalf star[1]
The Austin ChronicleStarStarStar[2]
The Alternate RootStarStarStarStar[3]

The Help Machine is the seventh studio album by American rock band Fastball.

Background

The 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

Described 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

  1. "Friend or Foe" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:56
  2. "White Collar" (Tony Scalzo) – 3:31
  3. "Holding the Devil's Hand" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:12
  4. "Redeemed" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:04
  5. "All Gone Fuzzy" (Tony Scalzo) – 3:17
  6. "The Help Machine" (Miles Zuniga) – 4:14
  7. "Surprise Surprise" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:32
  8. "The Girl You Pretended to Be" (Tony Scalzo) – 2:18
  9. "I Go South" (Miles Zuniga) – 2:31
  10. "Doesn't It Make You Feel Small" (Tony Scalzo) – 2:56
  11. "Never Say Never" (Miles Zuniga) – 3:11

Personnel

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

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ "Fastball: The Help Machine Album Review". The Austin Chronicle.
  3. ^ "fastball the help machine". The Alternate Root. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Ruggiero, Bob. "Fastball Looks for Answers to Life's Issues from The Help Machine". Houston Press.
  5. ^ a b Development, PodBean. "Episode 240 - Joey Shuffield of Fastball". thehustle.podbean.com.
  6. ^ "MAGNET Exclusive: Premiere Of Fastball's "The Help Machine"". August 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "NOTHING TRICKY ABOUT THIS SONIC PITCH, JUST a SCORCHING… Fastball". November 2, 2019. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  8. ^ "Music Minded: Fastball releases details on forthcoming album 'The Help Machine'". August 1, 2019.
  9. ^ Graff, Gary (October 14, 2019). "Fastball's 'The Help Machine' Video Sends Up the Emptiness of Consumerism: Premiere". Billboard.
  10. ^ Pozzolano, Vincent (October 17, 2019). "Fastball – The Help Machine (Album Review)".
  11. ^ "Fastball Try Out Different Rock Sounds on Steve Berlin-Produced LP 'The Help Machine' (ALBUM REVIEW)". October 16, 2019.
  12. ^ "Fastball, The Help Machine, 2019".
  13. ^ "Fastball's "The Girl You Pretended to Be" Is Pop Perfection (premiere + interview), PopMatters". September 9, 2019.
  14. ^ "babysue: Comics, Poetry, and Reviews by LMNOP (aka dONW7) - October 2019". babysue.com.
  15. ^ "October 2019". October 4, 2019.
  16. ^ "The 25 best albums of 2019". Yardbarker. March 31, 2020.
  17. ^ "Fastball – The Help Machine". Paste Magazine. September 14, 2019.

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