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Piqued Jacks - Just a Machine

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What happens musically when you transport brothers from Italy to Austin, Texas? In the case of Piqued Jacks, you get something a little like an angrier Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The album Just a Machine, is a lot like early Red Hot Chilli Peppers, sans all the lyrical silliness.

These musicians have one other advantage over their Southern California musical relatives, and that is an ability to perform slower, more thoughtful material. Red Hot Chilli Peppers have never been very convincing with ballads and slower numbers, mainly because their lead singer Anthony Kiedis simply can't hold a tune. "My Kite" begins as a gentle, piano-based ballad, which evolves slowly into a musical epic. It's sung with true passion and purpose.

While "Amusement Park" features a thumping, funk bass line, it also sports some sparkling, staccato electric guitar lines, too, which makes it into so much more than just a musical dance workout.

The group recorded this EP album with producer Brian Lanese quickly. It doesn't sound rushed at all, though, but is a fully realized rock exercise. Perhaps most importantly, these players prove that you can still sing serious, sincere songs over � at times -- relatively funky grooves. The test of any EP is if it makes you want to hear more, and Just a Minute is just a little too little. Let's hear more!


Piqued Jacks - Just a Machine
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