When the release of the NYC trio’s self-titled EP in late 2001, buzz emerged surrounding the Yeah Yeah Yeahs just as their NYC counterparts the Strokes and the Mooney Suzuki were gaining buzz in the new, stripped-down garage punk scene. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs however, stood out among their NYC peers with their abstract approach towards garage rock by mixing it with new wave, lo-fi, punk, and art-rock. The trio consisting of singer Karen O, guitarist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase were part of the new NYC underground as their growing buzz continued to flounder in the U.S. underground and in the U.K.

By 2002, shows were starting to sell out as fans were waiting for the band’s upcoming full-length release entitled Fever to Tell that would eventually come out in April 2003. With the growing anticipation for Fever to Tell looming, the band decided to release another EP in late 2002 just to have fans something other than their self-titled EP. The three-song, seven-minute and eleven-second EP was entitled Machine.

In comparison to the band’s first EP, Machine is a bit more focused in production thanks to the help of producer David Andrew Sitek, who would be the producer for Fever to Tell. While not as consistent and as long as their first record, Machine shows the same kind of promise that was delivered in Fever to Tell thanks to Brian Chase’s barreling drumbeats, Nick Zinner’s vibrato, driving guitar work, and the screeching, raucous vocals of Karen O. While it’s not as great as Fever to Tell or the first EP, Machine is a short but enjoyable ride that is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The first track on the record is the song for Machine as it starts off softly with Karen O’s soft, sullen vocals as she sings, “I used to fold saves and take my hand/Take the place of the snakes who ran” through a distorted, crisp production. Then, the song goes full-blast into rock mode with Zinner’s driving, metallic guitar riffs and Chase’s fast-pounding drums as the song goes into rock overdrive as O grunts the song. Karen O then sings, “Savage things wash over me/A crime that leaves oh, he and green/Oh machine, machine/I washed it for you/Machine, machine/I waste it for you” as she is accompanied by Zinner’s vibrato guitar and Chase’s barreling drums. The song’s ferocious drive and pulsating rhythm is almost empowered by the same raw energy and sexual drive of Date With The Night from the band’s Fever to Tell album as the Sitek’s production gives the song a full, raucous sound that is evident through that album as Karen O would grunt throughout the song in her mesmerizing, sexual moan as she sings the song’s chorus of “Machine, machine/I washed it for you/Machine, machine/I waste it for you”.

The next track is the visceral song Graveyard but unlike the full sound of Machine, it’s more indebted to the lo-fi production of the band’s first EP. With its fast, hammering rhythm from Brian Chase’s drums, Nick Zinner’s crashing guitars and Karen O’s raucous vocals as she sings, “I kiss you once and I kiss you twice” repeatedly as the song plays fast and then slows down a bit as she sings, “I’ll dig you up” in a slow, bluesy tone that is followed by Zinner’s driving guitar solo. Karen O sings cryptic lyrics of cemeteries as she repeats the word, “R.I.P.” that is followed by Zinner’s blazing, blues-drenched guitar solo in this short, less than 2-minute masterpiece.

The third and final track of the record is a two-minute remix of the song Pin. The track was merely used as a teaser of sorts since the song does appear in the Fever to Tell album. The only thing the song retained is its driving, vibrato guitar into that is then overshadowed by layers of shoegazing-like guitar riffs sliding through the record. Karen O’s vocals would loop through the record as she mumbles throughout the track only saying the word “Good” repeatedly while Chase’s beats are slowed down while Zinner’s guitars are played through washy, dreamy guitar distortions. While the track isn’t as brilliant as the original song, what it does show is the band’s ability to experiment through different textures, which is the reason why they have more edge than the Strokes or the Mooney Suzuki.

Released in late 2002 on Touch & Go Records, Machine did become another underground hit for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as it helped their growing buzz in the U.S. and U.K. The two EPs would eventually be released together as an import entitled Mini Album through the European and Japanese circuits. The records help land the band a deal with Interscope Records as the band’s long-awaited full-length debut Fever to Tell finally came out on late April 2003.

Though it’s a very short EP, Machine is still a winner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. While the Pin remix will serve up the band’s experimental fans, the songs Machine and Graveyard are undeniable classics from the band. Fans who wanted the Mini-Album import better just get the 2 EPs and burn them as a mini-album. Though it’s a good EP, fans better just get the record through somewhere cheaper than somewhere at Borders where it cost $6. While it’s not Fever to Tell or the first EP, Machine is a still a record fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs must own.

YYY Reviews:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP - Fever to Tell - Maps - (Tell Me What Rockers to Swallow DVD) - Gold Lion - Show Your Bones - (Turn Into) - Is Is EP - It's Blitz! - Atlanta, GA-Echo Lounge 11/10/03 - Atlanta, GA-Tabernacle 10/14/06

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Exercising