March 31st, 2009
The Answering Machine at the JD Set courtesy of Shirlaine Forrest
The Answering Machine might have started life a few years ago to a wave of giddy industry adulation and press accolade. Then, they were a starry-eyed trio with a clutch of bedroom recorded, drum machine backed indie-pop nuggets. Snapped to singles deals and for publishing, the trio began trading on their raucous youthful exuberance and innocent good looks.
Diving undercover as the band’s buzz reached fever pitch, The Answering Machine spent a period in hiding prolifically pre-producing and penning several dozen new songs. They bolstered their attack with real life drummer Ben Perry, introduced alongside their trusty drum-machine friend, ‘Mustafa Beat’.
By the end of 2008, they had locked themselves up in a remote North Yorkshire studio with Manic Street Preachers and Idlewild producer Dave Eringa at the helm, ready to record their essential first album.
In 2009, with intensity and maturity, they were able to deliver their devastating pop tales on their debut long player, “Another City, Another Sorry.”
The record, packed full of melody, charm and energy, covers every conceivable emotion in a devilish cocktail of adrenaline and bitter sweet lyricism.
The album shows a band who had taken their time to polish their craft. Rather than settle for a second rate rushed album, The Answering Machine wrote bigger, better and more exciting songs yet still retained their youthful indie pop outlook. It’s an astute, confident debut with forty minutes of perfectly crafted pop songs.
The album was instantly appreciated by many of the major UK publications and radio stations. The NME declared it a ‘perfect debut’ whilst BBC said ‘these songs are utterly remarkable’. After all this praise the Answering Machine hit the road for the rest of the year. The Manic Street Preachers requested the band as main support on their full UK tour playing to over two thousand people a night. The band have also played extensively in the UK alongside other bands such as The Charlatans, Doves, Twisted Wheel, Ra Ra Riot and The Casio Kids.
Having toured the length and breadth of the UK constantly for a year, which included a month’s residency of shows in New York in October/December 2009, the Answering Machine turned to writing their second album in January 2010. Tracking on the album was completed in June 2010 and the band engaged Dave Eringa again to mix the album. The band plans to tour extensively in Europe, USA and Japan in the second half of 2010 and onwards into 2011.
The band released the first single, ‘Animals’ from their second album entitled ‘Lifeline’ in Oct 2010 and the full album is due for release in early 2011.
Discography
Cliffer – Released March 16th 2009 – Visit the
shop now
Obviously Cold – Released June 1st 2009
Another City, Another Sorry – Debut Album – Released June 15th 2009
Oklahoma – Released August 10th 2009
Emergency / It’s Over! It’s Over! It’s Over! (double A side) November 23rd 2009
Animals single – Released 11th October 2010
Contact The Answering Machine: theansweringmachine@hotmail.com
Live Bookings: Ed Thompson: ed.thompson@13artists.com
Press: Jon Lawrence: jon@stokedpr.com
Online: online@heistorhitrecords.com
Radio: James Chapple-Gill james@chapdav.com
Links
Obviously Cold – Released June 1st 2009
Emergency / It’s Over! It’s Over! It’s Over! (double A side) November 23rd 2009