Family Machine are Oxford music royalty through and through and have always been right at the heart of the ever thriving Oxford music scene. Family Machine are featured in interview in recent Oxford music scene documentary 'Anyone Can Play Guitar' and remain one of movie director Jon Spira's all time favourite bands.
Their track, "Reminds Me of You", is heard over the end credits. The rich musical tapestry of Family Machine is a fascinating collage of influences... From early British psychedelic pop heros such as The Beatles and The Kinks, through indie Americana legends such as Eels and Grandaddy and the current alt pop bands making waves such as The Antlers and Midlake all these influences can be heard in a single bar of Family Machine's music.
Inspired by singer Jamie Hyatt's loss of a close friend, "Skeletons & That" is a gorgeous, lilting pop hymn for the loss of innocence through mourning and the redemptive power of humour.
As Jamie explains "It's a song about childhood fears and trying to put them aside as you grow up." "Skeletons & That" is a classic Family Machine track, as Jamie puts it - "I wanted it like so many of our songs to be really simple, like a grown up nursery rhyme". Brimming with a bathetic air akin to vintage Eels, "Skeletons & That" is a treasure of heavenly synths, parping brass and lush vocal arrangements.
When asked what inspired Family Machine to put together a Halloween single guitarist Neil Durbridge rightly pointed out that "no-one's done a Halloween song since Thriller so we thought it was time for a new one".
"Skeletons & That" features guest saxophone from Sebastian Reynolds, Oxford based multi instrumentalist and producer who also plays with The Epstein and Flights of Helios.
Earlier this year Family Machine released the "Quiet As A Mouse" single on Beard Museum. "Quiet As A Mouse" featured Anna Log of We Aeronauts and was BBC6's Lauren Laverne's "Headphone Moment" and was featured on NME, Artrocker, For Folk's Sake, Drowned in Sound and many other big webzines as well as garnering extensive radio play by BBC Oxford and Roundhouse Radio.
"Family Machine - WOW.... Beautifully tender..... Grandiose and magical" - The Fly
"Gorgeous" - Lauren Laverne (BBC6Music)
"A leading light on the Oxford indie/folk scene" - Shout4Music
Free Download: BeardMuseum.co.uk/Skeletons
Family Machine Official Website