Medicine - Mechanical Forces of Love (CD)

All Music Guide

Medicine called it quits in 1996 after an incredible debut record and then two very fine follow-ups. The usual reasons for the split were given, i.e. creative differences. Main Medicine man Brad Laner moved on to other bands and projects including the experimental techno influenced Electric Company. At the urging of his pal Kid 606 (whose Tigerbeat6 label had released some Electric Company discs), Laner decided to resurrect to the Medicine moniker. Unlike the first edition of Medicine, Laner does a fair bit of singing on The Mechanical Forces of Love. He has also eschewed the overdriven wall of guitars sound that the first edition of the band employed so stunningly in favor of synths and underpinned the songs with funky drumbeats. The new group has a new lead vocalist also; Shannon Lee (daughter of legendary actor/Martial Artist Bruce Lee) is much more soulful than Beth Thompson, at times nearly crossing over to a hip-hop diva sound. Leadoff track As You Do sets the tone skittering dru...m machines, glitchy synths and Lee's almost funky vocals. On the rest of the record Laner proves as willing as ever to coat his simple melodies in inscrutable noise and hazy atmospheres. Best Future is a fine example as the folky melody is twisted by distorted vocals and features one of the few appearances on the record of Medicine-y wall of guitars. I'm Yours also features guitars and distorted vocals; it is the track that calls to mind Medicine's glory days as it has a memorable melody and an exciting arrangement. Unfortunately most of the songs on the record don't come close to reaching the heights of the first edition of the band: Machines Inna Garden is bland trip hop, Astral Gravy is goofy up tempo electroclash, Sodden Rockets an overblown mock epic where Lee's overdubbed vocals come this close to shattering glass. Maybe it is showing this reviewers old school prejudices but really the only tracks that sound good are the few with guitars in the mix like Good For Me which switches very nicely between moody, trippy verses to a knockout Beach Boys on Mars chorus and the acoustic guitar based, tripped out Whiz. Overall the group comes off like a slightly more experimental Garbage only without the winning hooks. Lee's vocals are non-remarkable, the sound of the record is too busy and obtuse and they just didn't write that many good songs. It is very hard to make a good comeback with good songs no matter how much you trick it up with new fangled sounds and weirdness. - Tim Sendra, All Music Guide Read more Less