THIS IS OUR MACHINE AND NOTHING CAN STOP IT

Released in 2007, the we're-a-post-rock-band-and-here's-a-long-title'd This Is Our Machine and Nothing Can Stop It was North Irish And So I Watch You From Afar's (apparent) debut. [I'm not going to dispute it, but you'll notice my tracklisting was a bit different than what's posted here.] As with many bands I'd consider myself a fan of, I was very ignorant of their EPs and non-album material until now. This Is Our Machine starts off with the memorable and wonderfully named "I Capture Castles", a track I've known for a long while, eventually re-released on their first, self-titled LP in 2009. I think this is a great example of a track early on in their discography that shows their penchant toward Prog whilst still obviously, primarily being set in the world of Post-Rock. In this, they are heads-and-shoulders above 99% of all in the genre (even if that means inconsistently so in more recent years). This track is a stellar opener and a tastefully progressive track. Up next is the (at first) softer, twinkling and reverberating "Holylands, 4am", with a steady beat and trilling guitars. Pretty good Post-Rock, heavy and booming, as was their custom in their earliest days. I know others in the community here may not have the same relationship to this band as I do, yet even so I'm surprised how solid this is thus far.

Up next is "The Voiceless". A more classic (and classically boring) Post-Rock number, this one flows in and out over the same consistent chordal theme. Next is "Pt. 1" to the two-part near-title-track "The Machine". Buzzing, echoing guitars here actually reminded me in part of Spaghetti Westerns. Naturally, this picks up into a more solid theme on "Pt. 2", joined by straight-ahead bass and heavy drumming. Big song. This new, beefy riff is introduced after minute 2 and then a new section entirely. They definitely had fun with this one, I'd think. But this is only a foretaste of what they would accomplish only 2 years later. Finally, we have "WPB, 6am". We love a Post-Rock band that is wont to keep track of time haha. This one is a very, as is Post-Rock custom (and no, I will not be apologizing for this), derivative sort of chill number... Again, as is custom, boredom-inducing.

Just barely a 3/5.

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