The Family Machine are Oxford music royalty through and through and have always been right at the heart of the ever thriving Oxford music scene. They are featured and interviewed 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.
With new single, "Quiet As A Mouse", The Family Machine continue to assert their position as a leading light on the Oxford indie/folk scene.
"Quiet As A Mouse" features a guest vocal performance from Anna Log of similarly highly regarded folk ensemble We Aeronauts.
As Jamie from the band puts it, "'Quiet As A Mouse' is about snooping around someone's house, being caught out, and eventually befriending them. We asked Anna to sing it cos we thought it would be more sinister somehow coming from such an angelic girl".
The track is being released as a digital download and on sheet music, as Neil (Durbridge, guitarist) explains: "The sheet music idea came from trying to take the craze of releasing on retro music formats to the extreme… Cassette has been done, vinyl is still quite relevant really, and, what with it being quite expensive to cut a wax cylinder or '78 these days, sheet music became the obvious choice. You get the guitar part (piano friendly!) and lead vocal line all written in finest notation so you can download the sheet music and play along at home, on guitar or piano. You have to make up your own harmonies though!"
The Family Machine previously released their debut album 'You Are The Family Machine' and gigged extensively around the UK. The album and singles 'Got It Made', 'Flowers By The Roadside' and 'Reminds Me Of You' were an eclectic mix of acoustic, experimental indie songs that were launched on Alcopop Records to an appreciative throng of indie journalists and gig-goers alike. Compared favourably to musical heros such as Eels, Granddaddy and The Beta Band at their prime, it's a great testament to their unique musicality that The Family Machine are so accessible yet so hard to pin down!
The first single from 'You Are The Family Machine' - 'Got It Made' received national airplay from BBC Radio One, 6 Music and XFM in addition to video plays on V:MX. Tracks from the album were also used by Nokia and Jack Wills clothing stores commercially.
The Family Machine - Quiet As A Mouse video:
'Quiet As A Mouse' was recorded by The Family Machine in their own Howard Street Studios and mastered by Oxford based mastering legend Tim Turan. The band are currently recording their next album with acclaimed producer Ian Davenport (Badly Drawn Boy, Supergrass, Athlete).
The Family Machine are:
Jamie Hyatt - lead vox, acoustic guitar
Neil Durbridge - guitar, harmonies, toys
Darren Feller - bass, harmonies, toys
Jay Stilwell - drums, percussion, harmonies
The Family Machine have gigged with some of the biggest names in Oxford music including Stornoway, Young Knives, Richard Walters, Gaz Coombes and played legendary sets at Truck Festival and Cornbury as well as completing several UK tours.
"Family Machine - WOW…. Beautifully tender….. Grandiose and magical" - The Fly
"Folk-acoustic pop gold ready to be sieved into the collection of the daring and the broad-minded" - Gigwise
"Pro community, post hedonist warped genius" - Channel4.com
The Family Machine
Quiet As A Mouse single
Beard Museum Recordings
Digital + Sheet Music
5th March 2012
For more information, go to:
The Family Machine Official Website
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