Minus the Machine

While eagerly awaiting an album's drop for months has its build-up appeal, there's something to be said for just finding a new record that you didn't even know about.

Album: Minus the Machine

Artist: 10 Years

This record, 10 Years' sixth studio album, just came out a couple of days ago, and I was lucky enough to stumble across it on an accidental iTunes exploration. When I fell in love with the first three tracks I listened to, I knew it was more than deserving of a shout-out on here.

"Minus the Machine" adopts a kind of ambient/spacey feel that works to create an intriguing emotional atmosphere found throughout pretty much the entire album. But, not to be lost amidst that overarching style is the technical success of the musicians themselves. 

Jesse Hasek's vocal style is very reminiscent of that of Chevelle singer Pete Loeffler as he channels a very intense performance that compliments his instrumental backing; From the grungy guitars and straight-forward drumming and even to the solo piano on one track*, it's rather remarkable.

Some standout tracks include;

• Minus the Machine

• Battle Lust

* Forever Fields (Sowing Season)

• Knives

It's honestly an all-around great listen. Anyone who's a fan of rock but doesn't mind some deviation from the traditional formula should give this one a chance. Or actually, anyone who likes music in general should listen, because this record is simply amazing and deserves a lot of attention.