Single from Manchester band.
After forming in the rather humble setting of a student bedsit, Manchester hopefuls The Answering Machine return with another blazingly addictive single. After having championed this delightful band here before it's certainly time to do so again. The lo-fi fuzz of 'Silent Hotels' is simple enough to seem DIY without sounding amateurish. The song's content deals with loneliness and drinking yourself to sleep in the city, not the cheeriest of sentiments but the chorus and call and response style of the outro ensure the song is never maudlin. Indeed were it not for the more downbeat turn of the lyrics this would sound like a rollickingly upbeat indie jaunt, and that's really no bad thing at all.
B-side 'It's Over! It's Over! It's Over!' is slower in pace and as you'd expect from the title seems to deal with a relationship breaking down. The harmonies are pretty and points for using what sounds like a xylophone or something similar. Again the song is easy to like because despite lyrics edging towards miserable the band sound like they're enjoying themselves immensely, and that works its magic on the listener too.
The third track and download exclusive is an acoustic version of 'The Information'. It's good to see The Answering Machine can easily adapt to an acoustic style too, and this time the mood is altogether more sombre. In brief terms, this single is ace and shows The Answering Machine are a band getting better with each single, and the singles so far have been great. I can only predict that by the time an album comes along The Answering Machine will be a name on everyone's lips.