Last Thursday, Automatic celebrated the release of their stellar new album Excess with a release party at the Los Angeles bar Gold Line.
Tucked in Highland Park, an east-LA neighborhood, the venue’s walls are lined with hundreds of records and is always soundtracked by one of their vinyls. Today, that soundtrack was Excess. As the sun set on a gorgeous evening, the band arrived to a packed bar drinking cocktails named after three of the songs on their album.
The record itself represents the trio opening up their sound and welcoming new and exciting sonic capabilities. The opener, “New Beginning”, leaves the listener holding on for dear life as distorted feedback compliments their trademark bass-heavy post-punk soundscape. The record’s centerpiece, “Automation”, is a mid-album stunner that features uneasy synth and uncharacteristic but welcome vocal melodies. On the back end, a real stand out is “Turn Away”. While I’ve always really enjoyed Automatic’s music, I wouldn’t classify a ton of their songs as particularly breezy. With this closing track, however, a shimmering and bittersweet instrumental is matched by a lovely vocal performance.
Later this summer, Automatic heads out on a US tour that ends with a festival spot at Desert Daze. Find tour dates and all things Automatic here, and photos from the album release party below.
Photos and write-up by Andrew Ameter | Exclusively for Music, Why Not!
