By Henry Lipput
Fastball's seventh album, The Help Machine, is chock full of excellent tunes and first-rate music-making from Tony Scalzo on vocals, guitar, and keyboards; Joey Shuffield on drums; and Miles Zuniga on vocals and guitar.
Fastball have been around since 1996 when they released their debut album Make Your Mama Proud. In 1998, the band hit the big time with their best-selling All the Pain Money Can Buy which included the Grammy-nominated song "The Way." The Help Machine is a follow-up to 2017's Step Into Light and sees the Austin, Texas-based band playing better and tighter than ever.
Some of that has to do with the crisp, clean production of Steve Berlin of Los Lobos. Berlin created an organic atmosphere that allowed the band members to break out of their comfort zones and brought in friends to add to the trio's sound. These included Bruce Hughes (formerly of Cracker and Poi Dog Pondering) on bass and Wye Oak member Andy Steck playing multiple instruments.
With Scalzo and Zuniga now both performing guitar duties, the album has more crunch than earlier releases. The best example is the sinister "Surprise Surprise" with the dual guitars sounding like the axe-wielding Beatles on Revolver. And "Surprise Surprise" has a really awesome, nasty guitar solo.
The Help Machine opens with "Friend or Foe" a slow pop treasure, with swell backing vocals, about trying to find out who your real friends are. The piano-based "White Collar" has a very cool chorus, some splendid organ playing in the mix, and another terrific guitar solo.
"Redeemed" starts with an a capella, gospel-like vocal and has a funky vibe throughout. Shuffield's drumming takes center stage on the rocking "All Gone Fuzzy." And the title song is a moody, synth-drenched track with another melody-rich chorus.
"The Girl You Pretended To Be" is a rockabilly tribute with Austin legend Charlie Sexton on lead guitar. "Doesn't It Make You Feel Small" has the drum beats, bass line, and guitar licks of an early XTC track. "Never Say Never," the closing song, is a lovely Tex Mex-style tune with a wonderful near-Flamenco guitar solo. If the song wasn't written with Willie Nelson in mind it's certainly only a matter of time until the song is covered by him.
The Help Machine is out now on 33 1/3 Records.
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