Review: Flying Machines "Flying Machines"

Hopping back and forth between the classic rock sound of Queen to the trendy sound of The Killers, with an occasional side-step into bouncy pop, the Flying Machines hope to blast off in a big way with their new self-titled release. The band has secured a place on the runway having landed some of their music of 'Psych' (USA Network) and winning the Converse 'Get Out of the Garage' battle of the bands contest. They'll also perform at CMJ 2009 and will be featured on the cover of the November CMJ magazine).

William Ryan George can deliver some mad vocals - you'll see what I mean after a few minutes into the opener "Talk About It". He blasts into a falsetto that reminds me of last season's American Idol runner up Adam Lampert. One thing that I normally don't find myself motivated to comment on are the drums, but I have to give a shout out to the talents of Ken Weisbach for his stunning work here.

The first single, "On A Whim" encapsulates everything Flying Machines is all about - layered atop a perky piano melody you'll hear some retro rock overtones and Queen-inspired harmonies in the chorus. The track received 500,000 spins in just three months, becoming the #1 most-played song on Yahoo Music's "Who's Next" for three weeks running. While their single is a clear winner, a few runner ups that should be highlighted include the infectious rocker "Stay" and the sweet 70s-styled pop gem "Hopelessly Alone". The quiet build of "I Don't Remember Why" adds a nice dynamic and is well-placed on the CD to break things up. There's a few tracks that don't quite reach this caliber, but nothing on this CD crashes and burns either.

I'm not completely confident that Flying Machines will soar to great heights with this one, but they certainly got off the ground and deserve to be on your radar. The album is out today and I have clearance to give you this FREE MP3 of "Talk About It".

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10

Flying Machines on MySpace. Official site.